The Pokemon Legacy: A New Beginning
by MegazardXY
Summary: After Ash and his friends' journeys have come to an end, they bring us a new generation of Pokemon trainers who all have dreams and goals of their own: the children of our favorite heroes! This story is based off of the following shippings: Amourshipping, ContestShipping, PenguinShipping, and MarissonShipping. Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon
1. Chapter 1: New Heroes

What's up guys, PokefanShipping here with a different kind of story for you all. I've decided to write about the future of Pokemon. That is, where the main characters will be in about 10-15 years. If people like this then I will actually continue it and turn it into a real story featuring the children of our favorite Pokemon heroes. Anyways, I hope you like what I've come up with; this was a lot of fun to write! Enjoy...

~ Pallet Town ~

A relatively small, homely, strictly residential development with very few houses compared to its neighboring cities: Pallet Town. One would never have guessed that some of the most significant people in the Pokemon world were born and raised here. There was, of course, Professor Samuel Oak, the famous researcher of the Kanto region. His grandson, Gary Oak, had followed in his grandfather's footsteps to become a researcher himself, and was currently making fantastic progress regarding his studies on Mega Evolution. And then there was Ash Ketchum.

Delia Ketchum had always known that her son was something special. Granted, nearly every parent views their children in this manner, but she knew that Ash was destined for greatness. She was right, of course. He had made her so proud...

Ash had started his journey right here, in Pallet Town. With his beloved companion, Pikachu, he had traveled through six different regions (seven, if you count the Orange Islands as a region). His goal had been to become a Pokemon Master, and he sought out as many Pokemon as he could. What was special about Ash was that he not only helped his Pokemon become stronger, but he loved each and every one of them. He did not care whether a Pokemon was powerful or not. In his eyes, any Pokemon could be great as long as they were loved and trusted by their trainers.

Of course, he would never have accomplished what he had without his friends. He had traveled with many other people, all who came from different regions and backgrounds. They included Misty, Brock, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena. Every one of them helped Ash in some way, and they were his closest friends. One of them even ended up becoming his wife.

Where is Ash now? What is he doing with his life? Don't worry, his story will be told. But first, it is important to know where his friends are, and what they are doing with their lives. And somehow, some way...their stories will intertwine once again.

– –

~ Cerulean City ~

"Okay, Corsola, use Bubblebeam one more time!"

The Coral Pokemon opened its mouth wide and released numerous bubbles in a powerful stream directed straight towards the opposing Graveler.

Graveler was too slow to dodge and was forced to take the hit head-on. When the bubbles faded away, it collapsed.

"Graveler is unable to battle! Corsola is the winner, which means the victory goes to the Gym Leader, Misty!" Casey announced.

Tommy Harrison smiled sadly and walked up to his Graveler, who was beginning to regain consciousness. Graveler looked at its trainer with disappointment in its eyes. Tommy shook his head.

"Don't be sad, Graveler. It's not your fault you're weak to water-type Pokemon. You tried your best – you even evolved during the battle! That was awesome to see. Now take a good rest, buddy," Tommy said, recalling Graveler back to its Pokeball. He turned to face Misty.

Misty smiled at him. "That was a very good battle, Tommy. I can recognize the battling prowess that runs in your family! Brock and Forrest must have taught you well," she said.

Tommy nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to learn how to beat water-types with my rock-type Pokemon, so it might end differently the next time we battle!" he said. "Brock mentioned that he would teach me how sometime!" Despite his loss, he was still in high spirits.

"That's great, Tommy. I'm really looking forward to it. Speaking of Brock, how has he been? Have you heard from him recently?" Misty asked.

– –

~ Saffron City ~

"Doctor Harrison, this patient is all yours."

The emergency room doors opened as several people wheeled in a severely injured Growlithe. Immediately, Brock went to work. As a Pokemon Doctor, his job was to work efficiently.

"Let's see, it looks like this Growlithe's been poisoned. And that's the least serious of its injuries. We need to hurry. Fetch me an Antidote right away!" Brock wasn't going to waste any time.

After about 20 minutes, Growlithe was treated properly and was resting at the hospital. No one doubted that it would be fine, of course. After all, Doctor Harrison was the best doctor in Kanto, and arguably the best in other regions as well.

Brock was walking to his apartment after a long day at work. _Man, I can't wait to just get back and get some rest,_ he thought. On the way, he saw Saffron's Nurse Joy walk by. He smiled and remembered the time back when he would have gotten down on one knee and asked her out on a date. And then Croagunk would use Poison Jab on him and drag him away. He shuddered at that thought. _I'm glad those days are over,_ he thought.

But was he? Was he glad? Truthfully, he didn't really know. He missed traveling around the world with Ash and Misty and May and Dawn. He missed them all. Sure, being a Pokemon Doctor had been his dream since he came home from Sinnoh...but he couldn't help but reminisce about the past. _I wonder when I'll see any of them again,_ he thought.

– –

~ Littleroot Town ~

May was watching her kids play in the yard with Blaziken and Delcatty. She loved them so much; her kids and her Pokemon. She was proud of each and every one of them. She thought of her first born child, who was not currently there, but was now on her way to attend Professor Sycamore's summer camp in the Kalos region.

Her husband, Drew, was away at work. He helped novice trainers with Pokemon coordinating to help promote contests in the area, since Littleroot Town was quite small and didn't have a contest hall of its own. He really had a passion for coordinating, and that was one of the things she loved about him. When they were younger, she considered him her main rival. He had helped her achieve so much, and vice versa. She had also had a crush on him back then, and she had tried her best to hide it. She blushed just thinking about it.

Her thoughts returned to her daughter Meredith, her first born. She worried that Meredith wasn't old enough to be traveling to Kalos all by herself, but Drew had convinced her to let her go. He had made a good point by saying that Meredith would make new friends there and they would all continue their journey together. May knew in her heart that he was right, but she still couldn't help but worry for her child.

She stood up and started making lunch for Lizabeth and Kyle, her other two children who were not yet old enough to embark on Pokemon journeys. The thought of them reminded her of Max back when they were traveling together with Ash and Brock.

– –

~ Petalburg City ~

"Nice one, Snorlax! Now, let's use Heavy Slam again!"

Snorlax heaved its huge body towards the opposing Treecko, charging with metallic power. Treecko dodged with ease, although it was starting to get tired. Snorlax's endurance was certainly remarkable.

George gritted his teeth. "Okay, Treecko, let's use Bullet Seed to distract it, then hit it hard with Pound!" he commanded. Treecko was his last hope.

Treecko nodded and shot dozens of small green seeds at Snorlax as he ran, hitting its face. Snorlax pawed at the incoming barrage, receiving minor damage but getting very irritated.

Treecko kept running and threw its best Pound attack at Snorlax, hitting its stomach smack dab in the middle. But its eyes widened as it simply bounced off of Snorlax's enormous belly and fell to the ground. Snorlax didn't seem very fazed.

Max smiled. "It's gonna take a lot more than that to take out my Snorlax!" he shouted. "Snorlax, let's end this with Giga Impact!" he commanded.

Snorlax charged forth with unexpected speed and slammed into Treecko head-on, knocking it back into the wall of the gym. Treecko lay embedded into the wall, knocked out completely.

"Treecko is unable to battle! Snorlax is the winner! Which means the victor is Max, the Petalburg Gym Leader!" the referee announced.

"George, you battled well. I'm impressed with your Treecko's speed. However, your problem was that you allowed it to lose its footing. Treecko is quick, no doubt, but when it loses its footing, it leaves it vulnerable to a powerful attack. That's how Snorlax and I were able to beat you," Max said. He really did know a lot about Pokemon. It was all thanks to those days back when he was traveling with Ash, May, and Brock.

George nodded his head, writing down notes in his notebook. "I see. So we'll start working on that. Thank you so much for the advice, Max! I really enjoyed our battle," he said.

Max smiled. "No problem. And come back anytime you want a rematch, you hear?" he said.

George nodded again, a big smile on his face. "Can I ask how you came to be so strong? I'm really impressed with how much you know about Pokemon."

Max thought about this question. He had always known a lot about Pokemon when he was very little, since he read a lot of books as a child. But really, he learned what he knew from watching Ash. He learned how to use fast Pokemon like his Linoone from watching Ash use Pikachu, and he learned how to manage with slow Pokemon like his Snorlax from watching Ash and Torkoal. That was just the beginning. He could go on and on about how much he had learned.

"Well, George, you see...I had a pretty good role model back when I was a kid. And I always looked up to him. When the day came when he and I had to part ways, I promised him I would have a battle with him when I got my own Pokemon. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting on that...I've been pretty busy with the gym and all, and I know for sure he's busy, too. But I know I'll battle him someday," Max said, a faraway look in his eyes. _But when will our paths cross again?_ He wondered.

George smiled. "I see. Well, you're really lucky. I haven't found a mentor or a role model for myself yet, except for my father, Sawyer. I know when he was young he had met someone in Kalos during his journey who was a fantastic trainer. It was from him that my father learned most of what he knows about Pokemon battling, and he wrote it all down in a notebook. I, too, carry a notebook with me, to keep track of everything I learn, so that one day, I can battle a champion just like my father did!"

– –

~ Twinleaf Town ~

"You know if you do that, Mom and Dad won't like it one bit."

"Shut up! You don't know what they'll think, and I've already made up my mind!"

Two 10-year-old children, a boy and a girl, were arguing in the yard. They both shared many physical features, such as their navy blue hair, and their black eye color. They were also about the same height, making it quite easy to tell that they were twins, just by looking at them. However, their personalities were polar opposites.

"I can choose whichever starter I want, and I can be whatever type of trainer I want to be!" shouted Alice, the girl, who was clearly agitated. Her brother always got on her nerves.

Damos, the boy, turned his head away defiantly and crossed his arms. "Well, we'll just see, won't we? I'll bet Dad shakes his head when he learns that you picked Chimchar," he said as he walked away.

Alice suddenly pictured their father, Kenny, shaking his head in disappointment over the video phone. She gripped her hands into fists. _I'll ask Professor Rowan what to do. He'll know what's best. Not my dumb brother Damos,_ she thought.

"Alice! Come on in, I've just made lunch! You don't want to set out on your journey on an empty stomach, do you?" Dawn shouted from the doorway of their house. "The plane for Kalos leaves in 3 hours, and you still need to get to Professor Rowan's lab before then!"

"Coming, Mom! No need to worry!" Alice shouted back, running towards the direction of her voice.

– –

~ Opelucid City ~

"Haxorus, use Dragon Claw once more!" Drayden commanded.

Drayden's Haxorus roared with the fiery passion for battle as its claws started to shine. It charged the opposing Haxorus, who stood its ground with determination.

"Haxorus, try block it with your tusks!" Iris shouted, starting to lose control over the situation. She had gotten overconfident, and now Haxorus was too tired to dodge.

Iris's Haxorus leaned its head forward, using its axe-like tusks to take the blow. As Dragon Claw made contact, Iris's Haxorus roared in pain. Iris cringed at the terrible sound, looking down and feeling about ready to give up.

 _No,_ she thought to herself. _I can't just give up now. I've come so far...what would Ash think?_ She looked up. "Haxorus, stay with me! I know you can do it!"

Her Haxorus glanced at her and nodded its head. It stood up, slowly but surely, and waited for its trainer's next order.

"This is it, Haxorus! Let's end it right now! Use Giga Impact!" she shouted, hoping that Haxorus had enough strength left.

With fierce determination is its eyes, Haxorus charged forward directly at Drayden's Haxorus. Using all the power it could muster, it quickly closed the distance and slammed head-on into the belly of the enemy Haxorus. Upon contact, a huge dust cloud erupted from the ground and surrounded the two Pokemon, blocking Iris's and Drayden's view of them.

After a few moments, the dust cleared. And only one Haxorus was standing.

– –

~ Striaton City ~

"Hurry up with those leaves, will ya Cilan?" shouted Chili from across the kitchen.

"Please, have patience, my good brother. I am working on this as quickly as I can!" Cilan replied with a gentle tone of voice, despite Chili's rudeness. He was used to it.

"Cilan, is there anything troubling you, perhaps? You seem to be a little out of it lately," said Cress, who was filling pots with water with his Simipour.

Cilan stared down at his hands, which he had been using to cut up the perfect tea leaves he and Simisage had harvested earlier. He thought about Cress's question. _Is there something troubling me?_ He wondered.

"No no, of course not. I'm just fine, but thank you for your concern," Cilan answered. He knew that he didn't sound very confident.

"Well snap out of it, whatever it is, then!" Chili shouted. "I'm trying to boil some water here, but I'm gonna need tea leaves at some point!"

Cilan nodded. "Just give me a few more moments," he said. _Maybe running this restaurant isn't what I wanted. After all, what happened to my dream of becoming the best connoisseur there ever was?_ Somehow, he didn't know the answer to that question. _Perhaps its time I took a break...and set out on another journey._

– –

~ Lumiose City ~

"Dad! Dad! Check out what I've been working on!"

A man with electric-yellow hair and gray eyes turned his attention away from his work to his 10-year-old son. "What is it, Phillip?" he asked.

"It's a machine that you put on your arm that sends out Pokeballs for you! Can you give me a Pokeball? Pleaseee, pleaseee?" Phillip begged.

Clemont's eyes gleamed with pride. His son's inventions never ceased to amaze him, even though they ended up malfunctioning and blowing up during testing. It reminded him so much of himself back when he was younger, back when he used to constantly tinker with gears and wires to try to make something useful. It was this creativity that eventually led him to be the founder of his very own company, Clemontic Gear.

"Sure, Phil, I don't see why not," he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Chesnaught's Pokeball. His son eagerly placed it in his own pocket and flipped a switch on his little contraption.

The machine extended an arm-like structure outward, much like Clemont's Aipom Arm. The arm reached down towards Phillip's pocket and smoothly pulled out the Pokeball. Then suddenly, it jerked upward and made some wild, uncontrolled movements and eventually hurled the Pokeball with incredible speed...straight towards a window. The Pokeball smashed through the window, leaving shards of glass littering the floor around it.

"Awww! I really thought it would work..." Phillip said. He wasn't a pouter, which had been a relief to Clemont and his wife. But he did get down on himself often.

Clemont put a hand on his son's shoulder. "It's okay, Phil. At least it didn't explode, right?" he said with a smile, trying to cheer him up. Then a thought dawned on him.

"Yeah, I guess...but I wanna make awesome inventions like you! You know, ones that actually work..." Phillip said, looking down.

Clemont laughed. "You're still so young, Phillip. You've got years and years ahead of you to practice. And you're about to embark on an amazing journey that will change your life forever. Trust me, I've had my fair share of failures in the past," he chuckled at the thought of all the times he had been covered in smoke.

Phillip nodded. "You're right, Dad. And I was wondering...will I be able to invent things at Professor Sycamore's summer camp?" he asked.

Clemont smiled. "Of course, Phillip. I know the Professor won't have a problem with it. After all, I've met him personally, and his father. His father was actually the one who gave me Chesnaught, although it was just a little Chespin back then."

"Wow, that must have been so cool! I think I'll pick Chespin, too!" Phillip exclaimed, thinking of what it was like to battle with Pokemon. Then he looked down at his watch, which he had built himself. "Oh no!" he shouted, his expression showing panic.

"What is it, Phil?" Clemont had turned half of his attention back to his work.

"I'm late! I'm late! The Professor said that he would be handing out Pokemon at 10 o'clock, but it's almost 10:30 now!" Phillip was panicking now. He started hastily packing his backpack with objects within the immediate area. Clemont saw him throw a salt shaker in there. He sighed and smiled.

"Don't worry, Phillip. I'm sure there are still Pokemon left...just head on over there now, and from there you can go to his summer camp! Everything's going to be fine," Clemont tried his best to sound reassuring.

"Okay, I'm all packed! See ya later, Dad! And tell Aunt Bonnie that when I get strong, I'll challenge her Gym!" Phillip shouted as he sprinted out the door.

Clemont watched him run, and thought about the days when he traveled as a kid. _I wonder if Ash's kid is also going on a journey,_ he thought.

– –

~ Pallet Town ~

"Don't worry, honey...he'll be just fine. If I know Alain Sycamore, he'll recognize Aaron as soon as he arrives at his camp and make sure he feels at home."

Serena Ketchum nodded her head, wiping a few tears from her face. "But, I feel like he's so young...too young to be traveling all by himself," she said. Since Aaron was their only child, she had become quite protective of him.

Ash shook his head. "He won't be alone. I have no doubt that he'll make lots of new friends; people and Pokemon! Don't you remember when we were his age? It was the best time of our lives!" he said, meaning every word he said. Pikachu hopped onto Ash's shoulder with a big smile on his face. "Pika pika pi!"

The former Kalos Queen smiled and looked at her husband adoringly. He always knew what to say at any given moment, in any situation. "You're...you're right...I should really stop worrying about him. He's your son, after all!" she said, a little more cheerfully. Her Sylveon walked up to her and brushed up against her leg, something that had always comforted Serena. She smiled and petted her Pokemon affectionately.

Ash smiled at her as he thought about the time when he first started his journey. "I know Aaron will be an amazing trainer. He's going to learn a lot at camp, then after that I'm sure he'll be able to make it to the Kalos League," he said. "And one day...he will challenge me to a battle."

– –

~ Santalune City ~

"This is it! C'mon out, Vivillon!"

In a flash of white light, the beautiful Scale Pokemon emerged from its Pokeball, ready for battle. "Vivillonnn!" it cried.

Aaron adjusted his hat. "Piece of cake. Right, Charmander?" he shouted to his starter Pokemon. Charmander turned its head and nodded confidently, the fire on its tail burning with the desire for battle.

"Okay, Vivillon, let's open with Psychic!" Viola commanded, her confidence draining. After seeing Aaron's Charmander completely negate Surskit's Ice Battlefield strategy with Ember, to say that Viola was struggling would be an understatement.

Charmander became surrounded in a purple light and started floating into the air, unable to control its own movements. "Charrr charmander!" it cried, beginning to panic.

Aaron's eyes widened. "Oh no, Charmander!" he shouted. _What do I do now?_

Viola formed a fake camera with her hands. "Picture perfect! Vivillon, use Solar Beam!" she commanded. _This battle is mine, now. No way am I going to lose just because of a type disadvantage._

Charmander plummeted to the ground after Vivillon stopped using Psychic. It managed to land on its feet, but the impact still did considerable damage. Suddenly, Aaron had an idea.

"Charmander, use Smokescreen! Fill the entire room!" he ordered. _I hope this works,_ he thought.

Viola hesitated. _What's he doing?_ She wondered. Then she realized.

Vivillon was about to release a Solar Beam attack when suddenly the green glow emitting from its body started to fade. Vivillon looked up, realizing that it could no longer see the sun through the glass roof. Smokescreen had covered it up.

Aaron smiled. "All right! Charmander, let's end this with Dragon Rage!" he shouted, extending his arm out forward.

Charmander released a huge, blue sphere of draconic power straight towards a surprised Vivillon. It hit it directly, causing an explosion upon contact. After the smoke cleared, Vivillon was on the ground, unconscious.

"Vivillon is unable to battle. Charmander is the winner! Which means the victor of this battle is Aaron Ketchum from Pallet Town, using only one Pokemon!" the referee announced.

Viola smiled as she recalled Vivillon. "You did well, Vivillon. Take a good rest," she said. She looked up at Aaron, who was celebrating with Charmander. He reminded her so much of Ash.

"You battled very well, Aaron. I guess third time's a charm, right?" Viola said.

Aaron nodded. "Yeah! I probably should've caught another Pokemon to help me after I lost the first and second time, but Charmander here wanted to defeat you all by himself. So I respected that and we trained hard to earn this win, right Charmander?" he turned to his Pokemon and smiled, petting his head.

Viola smiled. "Well, you definitely earned this, Aaron. I present to you – the Bug Badge!"

After he accepted the badge, Aaron held it up high. "Awesome! I just got my first gym badge!" he cheered, and Charmander jumped up into the air with excitement.

Aaron stared at the badge. _Dad...I've just taken my first step towards becoming a Pokemon Master. Just wait...and be ready...'cause I'm gonna challenge you once I become the Champion!_

– –

Pallet Town ~

Serena wiped the remaining tears off of her face. She smiled as she thought about her little boy growing up on his journey, and how different he would be when she saw him next. "It will be interesting to see what kind of Pokemon he catches...and how they will change his life as he travels with them. Don't you think, Ash?"

Ash nodded and looked at her lovingly. "Serena...we have so much to look forward to."

The End

– – – –

What'd you guys think? As I mentioned before, this was a lot of fun to write. And in case you didn't know, Aaron is named after Sir Aaron, not the Sinnoh Elite Four Aaron. I'm not good with names, as I've never created characters from scratch before, but I kinda like the ones I used because they were kind of nostalgic in a way. Did you recognize some of them? Tell me in the reviews!

Also, should I continue this story? Let me know! I can't write without a voice from the people!


	2. Chapter 2: Traversing Paths

Hey guys, I've decided to continue this story even though it hasn't gotten nearly as many views as my other stories. Writing about these kids is a lot of fun for me, so I'm going to create their story regardless of how many people like it. Just to clarify: this story will now be centered on the children and their journey, but the old main characters will still be recurring throughout the story, and I will also introduce the others and how their life is like. Anyways, I really appreciate you reading this, it means a lot to me to know that I have at least a few loyal readers. Keep in mind the story will seem kinda slow because I'm starting from scratch basically, and I have to introduce all the characters and how they meet and all that good stuff. Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Traversing Paths

"Mmm, that was really good, Mom, thanks!"

"Yeah, great stuff, Mom!"

Damos and Alice had both just finished their lunch and were ready to leave Twinleaf Town to receive their first Pokemon from Professor Rowan. They were about to head out the door when their mother, Dawn, stopped them.

"Now, hang on just a minute, you two. Just what makes you think you can leave without saying a proper good-bye to your mother?" Dawn lightly scolded them, although she had a playful smile on her face. She knew her children were just excited; after all, she had felt the same way when she was their age.

Damos and Alice both laughed and turned around to give their mother a big hug. As Dawn embraced her two children, she began to wonder what life would be like without them. With Kenny being gone so often, she realized that she would be alone at home for the most part. She wondered if her own mom had ever gotten lonely, even with her Pokemon there.

"Damos...Alice...you two be safe, okay? And no fighting. Got it?" Dawn was just trying to stall at this point. She was cherishing these moments...her kids were growing up already.

"Yeah, yeah, as long as Alice doesn't start anything, you won't have to worry about me at all, Mom!" Damos said. This received an angry glare from his sister.

"Mom, I'll be on my best behavior, no matter how poorly Damos behaves on our journey," Alice said. She smiled triumphantly at her brother. Everything was a competition with these two.

Dawn laughed as she let go of her kids. "Well, you two better get going. Don't forget to videophone us when you arrive in Kalos! Dad and I will be expecting a call tomorrow," she said with that motherly tone of voice. The twins rolled their eyes and reassured her that they would remember.

As Dawn watched them leave, she tried her best not to tear up. _I'm so proud of them already,_ she thought.

– –

~ Rustboro City ~

A girl with light brown hair and bright green eyes stared out the window of a train, watching the trees pass by as she traveled further and further from home. In her lap lay her very first Pokemon: Mudkip, who was sound asleep. She had only been with Mudkip for a day now, but she already felt herself bonding with it. _I hope Mudkip feels the same way about me,_ she thought.

Meredith was the splitting image of her mother, except her hair fell straight down and she had green eyes as opposed to May's blue eyes. Her clothes were of a light blue color, and she wore a matching bandana with a design similar to the one May used to wear.

"Attention, passengers, we will be arriving at the Rustboro Airport shortly."

Meredith stroked her Pokemon's head lightly. "Hey, Mudkip. It's time to get up, sweetie!" she said cheerfully. She watched as Mudkip slowly opened its eyes and looked around. It turned to face her and smiled, its adorable charm warming Meredith's heart.

– –

~ Sandgem Town ~

"My, my, you two have grown so much since I last saw you!" Professor Rowan exclaimed.

Damos and Alice beamed at his praise, but both of them were eyeing the three Pokeballs resting on a table nearby. The twins liked the professor a whole lot, but they were anxious to finally receive their first Pokemon.

The old professor noticed this and said, "Ah, yes, time for what you two came for. Lucas, please introduce and explain-"

Damos cut him off. "There's no need for that, professor! I already know which Pokemon I want!" he said, glancing at Alice.

Alice nodded. "As do I, professor," she said politely. The good manners had stuck with her more so than they had with her brother.

The professor nodded his head. "Well, alright then. Go ahead and choose!" He pressed the button on each Pokeball, revealing the three starter Pokemon that he had been giving to trainers for years: Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup. All three Pokemon looked happy and energetic. The twins' eyes sparkled with excitement.

As they had told the professor before, both Damos and Alice already knew which Pokemon they were going to pick. Damos picked up the Penguin Pokemon, and Alice picked up the Chimp Pokemon.

"Awesome!" Damos exclaimed. "C'mon, Piplup, let's go outside and practice some moves before we leave!" he said as he ran out the door.

Alice would have followed him, but she had something on her mind that she wanted to clear up. "Um, professor? I have a question to ask you. I need some advice."

Rowan looked at her and nodded. "Ask away, Alice! I'm sure I will be able to help."

Alice nodded and hesitated a moment. "Well...I was wondering. Do you think...my mother would be disappointed in me if...I didn't want to become a Pokemon Coordinator?"

The professor raised an eyebrow and said, "Why, of course not. That would be silly. What makes you think she would be disappointed?"

"It's just that...both of my parents were top coordinators when they were younger, and...I feel as if I'm expected to do the same. But after watching so many Pokemon battles on T.V., I had decided early on that I wanted to focus on battling when I got my first Pokemon," Alice said. "But I want to make my parents proud, too!" she said, on the brink of tears. Chimchar frowned with concern, not enjoying the sight of his new trainer being so distressed.

Rowan put his hand on her shoulder. "Alice...I know your mother quite well. Believe me when I say that no matter what you decide to do, and no matter when you do it...she will always be proud of you. And that goes for your father as well. You are your own person; it's up to you what you want to do with your life."

Alice wiped a tear from her eye and she looked at Chimchar, who smiled at her comfortingly. She smiled back, already appreciating this Pokemon's company. She had a feeling that they would become great partners. "You're right professor...I'm going to focus on battling, no matter what my brother says or thinks, and no matter what my parents say. Thank you, professor!" she said as she ran up to him and gave him a hug.

Rowan patted Alice's back reassuringly. "I know you're going to be an amazing Pokemon battler, Alice. Now go find your brother; it's time you two left for Sycamore's camp," he said. He turned to Turtwig and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Turtwig. I guess there aren't any more trainers toda-"

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a young boy with bright yellow hair sped into the room. "Waitttt! I want a Pokemon, too!" he shouted. He screeched to a halt in front of Alice and Rowan and looked at Turtwig. "Oh no. Am I too late? I wanted to pick Turtwig!" he pouted, shaking his fists as he talked. He certainly had quite a lot of energy.

Rowan had never seen this child before, but he recognized him immediately. _There's no doubt about it...that's got to be his boy,_ he thought, chuckling a little as he remembered the hasty and hyperactive trainer from years ago.

"No need to worry! I picked Chimchar, and my brother picked Piplup, so Turtwig is all yours!" Alice said, smiling at the boy.

The boy smiled and shouted, "Awesomeee! Finally, my first Pokemon! Turtwig, you and me are going to be the best Tower Tycoon duo there ever was!" he said as he picked up the Tiny Leaf Pokemon in his arms.

The professor smiled. "So you want to be a Tower Tycoon, as well, do you? An admirable goal, my dear boy. Now tell me, what is your name?"

"My name's Brandon, sir! Named after none other than the great Frontier Brain from the Hoenn region! No doubt you've heard of him!" Brandon said, his eyes gleaming with his evident admiration for his namesake.

Rowan nodded. "Well, so I guess Turtwig has found a partner, after all. Perhaps the three of you can travel to Kalos together, then? That is, assuming Brandon here is attending Sycamore's camp."

"You bet I am! I really want to meet the famous Alain Sycamore and his Mega Charizard! One day, I hope to be able to use Mega Evolution too, as I battle challengers at the Battle Tower," Brandon replied excitedly. "To follow in my father's footsteps, who followed in his father's footsteps...it's my destiny. And I'll stop at nothing to fulfill it!"

– –

~ Lumiose City ~

"Professor Sycamore?"

A young boy with electric-yellow hair opened the door to the Pokemon Lab in Lumiose City. The professor greeted him with a smile.

"Ah, Phillip! You've grown since I last saw you. How's your dad been?" Sycamore asked.

"My dad's doing great! He owns his very own technology company called Clemontic Gear!" Phillip answered. He really did look up to his father.

The professor nodded. "I see. Well, Phillip, I'm afraid that all three starter Pokemon have already been chosen today. You'll have to come back tomorrow," he said, a sympathetic smile on his face.

Phillip's jaw dropped. "What?! But professor, I've waited so long to start my Pokemon journey! Don't you have any Pokemon that you could give me? It doesn't have to be one of the traditional starters!" Phillip frantically spoke as he began to panic.

The professor sighed, saying, "Well...all right. I'll take you to the back and we'll see if we can find a Pokemon for you."

Phillip's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Awesome! Thank you, Professor Sycamore!"

– –

~ Rustboro City ~

"Attention passengers, we will be arriving at the Rustboro Airport shortly."

Alice, Damos, and Brandon were all flying together to the Kalos region. However, the only flight available was a a connecting one, stopping in Rustboro City of the Hoenn region.

The three novice trainers were walking to their gate when Brandon accidentally walked into a girl holding a Mudkip. The two of them both stumbled, and the Mudkip fell out of the girl's arms.

"Mudkip! Are you okay, sweetie?" the girl quickly picked up her Pokemon, softly caressing its head to comfort it. Mudkip was completely fine, but it liked getting the attention from its trainer.

Alice looked at the girl. She had pretty brown hair that fell straight down to her shoulders, and she wore a cute blue bandana on her head, with matching clothes.

Damos admired the girl, staring in awe at her perfect brown hair and dazzling green eyes.

Brandon stood up, holding his head in one hand. "Oh, man...I'm so sorry! I really didn't see you there. Gosh, I can be so clumsy sometimes..." he said, looking down at the ground.

The girl smiled. "It's okay. I'm Meredith, and what's your name?" she asked.

"My name's Brandon! I wish there was some way I could make it up to you for running into you like that. In my defense, it's not _all_ my fault...apparently both of my parents had a tendency to run into people all the time," Brandon said apologetically.

Meredith shook her head. "No really, it's fine...I should've been more careful. I was just thinking about this camp that I'm heading to right now," she said, smiling.

Brandon's eyes lit up. "You mean Professor Sycamore's camp? Is that the one you're going to?" he asked.

Meredith smiled and nodded. "Yeah! That's the one!" she exclaimed. Then she blushed a little as she asked, "Maybe...we could go there together?"

– –

"Well it seems that Helioptile has taken a liking to you, Phillip," the professor said, watching the young boy play with the Generator Pokemon. There was no doubt that these two would make great partners.

"Yeah! I really like Helioptile, too! It reminds me of my dad's Heliolisk!" Phillip said, petting Helioptile's head.

Professor Sycamore nodded. "Well then...how would you like to take Helioptile as your first Pokemon? Would that make you happy?" he asked.

Phillip quickly nodded. "Yes! That would be just fantastic! I can't thank you enough, professor!"

– –

~ Lumiose City ~

"Wow! We've never seen that Pokemon before, Charmander!" a young boy exclaimed, marveling at the sight of a new Pokemon. He had raven-black hair, and bright blue eyes.

His Charmander nodded and prepared to battle. It stepped up and provoked the opposing Mareep with a challenging cry. Its flame was burning brightly, signifying Charmander's battling spirit.

The trainer that Aaron was about to battle smiled cutely at him. She knew there was something familiar about him. "You're Charmander is so cute! But that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you!" she said, her face full of determination and passion.

Gym Leader Bonnie wasn't messing around here.

Aaron adjusted his cap. "That's good, 'cause we weren't planning on losing!" he shouted, sticking his arm out forward. "Charmander, use Dragon Rage!" he commanded.

Charmander released a powerful blast of purple flame-like energy towards Mareep.

"Mareep, dodge it and use Electric Terrain!" Bonnie ordered, reacting calmly despite Charmander's obvious power.

Mareep leapt out of the way of Dragon Rage and proceeded to light up the floor with electricity. In a matter of seconds, the entire battlefield was teeming with yellow sparks and bolts.

Aaron took a step back. "What the-"

Bonnie saw this as her opportunity to strike. "Now, Mareep, use Charge Beam!" she shouted, her innocent smile still shining.

Mareep opened its mouth and shot a small beam of electricity at Charmander. Charmander instinctively dodged it with ease, but it kept glancing nervously at the ground. Neither Pokemon had been hit yet, but the advantage seemed to be in Bonnie's favor.

Gritting his teeth, Aaron decided to react recklessly. "Charmander, get close and use Ember!" he shouted, his confidence already starting to drain.

Charmander obeyed and dashed forward, releasing small flames from its mouth towards Mareep. The attack managed to hit Mareep, although it didn't seem too damaged.

"Mareep, counter attack with Charge Beam again!"

Mareep firmly stood its ground as it released another beam of electricity, although this was larger and brighter than the first.

Aaron frowned. "How did that get so much stronger all of a sudden?"

Bonnie smiled. "Electric Terrain boosts the power of electric-type moves. On top of that, Charge Beam boosts my Mareep's power with every use. It's a great combination!" she said confidently. _I gotta say...I expected more from Ash's kid. Even if he's just starting out._

"Mareep, Charge Beam again!" she commanded.

Mareep planted its feet firmly and released another Charge Beam attack, which made direct contact with its target. Charmander staggered backward and cried out in pain, but regained its footing just as quickly. It stared at Mareep angrily, the flame on its tail starting to burn brighter.

Smiling, Aaron recalled what the Pokedex had said. _Charmander's ability is Blaze, which boosts its fire-type attacks when its weakened,_ he thought.

"Charge Beam once more, Mareep!"

"Counter with Ember, Charmander!" Aaron shouted.

Charge Beam and Ember collided, causing an explosion between the two Pokemon. The smoke cleared, revealing that neither Pokemon had taken damage. Even with Electric Terrain, Blaze had caused Charmander's power to now match Mareep's.

Aaron suddenly had an idea. _Mareep always takes a firm stance when it uses Charge Beam. If I can maybe get close then..._

"Mareep, one last time. Finish this with Charge Beam!" Bonnie commanded.

Mareep stood still with its feet firmly on the ground as it prepared to release yet another Charge Beam attack at Charmander.

"Charmander! Get close right now!" Aaron shouted, a determined smile on his face.

Before Mareep could react, Charmander had closed the distance between them. Mareep panicked and shot a Charge Beam, but missed completely.

"Now, use Dragon Rage, Charmander!"

Charmander released pure draconic power from its mouth and hit Mareep directly, from close range. A huge explosion created a thick smoke that shieled the combatants from view.

As the smoke cleared, Mareep could be seen laying on the ground, with Charmander standing in front of it, breathing heavily.

"Mareep is unable to battle! Charmander is the winner!" Clembot announced. Aaron cheered, and Charmander did, too.

"Great job, Charmander! That Dragon Rage was just awesome!"

Bonnie smiled sympathetically at her Mareep as she returned it to its Pokeball. "You did well, Mareep. That was my fault. Take a good rest," she said.

She looked up. "Well, I'm impressed, Aaron. I would expect nothing less from _you,_ after all!" she said, smiling.

Aaron looked confused. "Wait...wha?"

"Now, Dedenne, come on out!" Bonnie shouted, tossing her bag into the air. Out came the Antennae Pokemon, gracefully leaping out of the bag and landing on the ground. Bonnie caught her bag and smiled. _My ace in the hole,_ she thought.

– – – –

And that's the end of the chapter. Good? Bad? Please review! I need the advice and criticism in order to produce better writing in the future. Also, who are some characters from the Pokemon anime that you would like to see in this story? I will gladly incorporate any desired characters into this story based on how I think they would end up in 15 years. Anyways, thanks for reading! Means a lot, guys.


	3. Chapter 3: Aspirations

Sorry about the mix-up with the previous chapter number. I fixed it :)

Chapter 3: Aspirations

Alice, Damos, Brandon, and Meredith were all on the plane from Rustboro City to the Kalos region, where the four of them plan on attending the famous Alain Sycamore's Pokemon trainer camp. To say that they were excited would be quite the understatement.

"Wow, I've never flown on a plane before!" Brandon exclaimed rather loudly for being on a plane. A few people looked over, slightly annoyed, but Brandon was completely oblivious to it.

Meredith looked over at him, smiling. "Really? I've flown so many times before this...I've been to the Kanto region to visit my mother's childhood friend. Another time I went to the Sinnoh region where we watched the amazing Fantina perform in a contest."

Intrigued, Brandon barraged her with questions. His outgoing energetic personality was charming to her, and she knew that they were going to be good friends.

"Wow! Who was your mom's friend? Was he some famous contest performer? What kind of Pokemon did Fantina use? Who is Fantina? Do you think I could try a contest sometime? Oh, maybe you can teach me!" Brandon didn't know when to stop.

Meredith laughed, wondering where to start. "Oh, um, well my mom's friend is a man named Ash, who was a famous Pokemon trainer back in his day! He has a son our age, named Aaron. I met him a long time ago..." she seemed to blush as she talked. "And as for Fantina, oh my gosh she was so amazing and beautiful, I remember..."

The two of them continued with their conversation during the flight. Meanwhile, Damos glanced over at them from the other side of the aisle. He and Alice had been sleeping when he had heard Brandon's loud voice. He felt slightly jealous at how well Brandon and Meredith were getting along because within the first few seconds of meeting Meredith, he had immediately developed an infatuation with her.

 _That Brandon, all he does is talk,_ Damos thought. _I'm going to become the best contest performer there ever was so I can impress Meredith, so she can see that Brandon is no good for her._

Alice stirred in her sleep a little, turning her head towards the window. She was dreaming of a great Pokemon battle between her and the champion of Kalos.

– –

~ Camp Sycamore ~

"We're here, Phillip! Thank you for being so patient," Professor Sycamore said. He and his wife Mairin had just driven up to Camp Sycamore, bringing Phillip along for the ride.

"Chespy, will you help unload the trunk for me, please?" Mairin asked her Chesnaught, her very first Pokemon and lifelong partner.

Chespy grunted a little at the rather juvenile nickname, expressing slight disapproval as he began to carry boxes from the trunk. Mairin knew that this was just an act however; she knew that deep down, the huge Spiny Armor Pokemon liked his nickname, the name she had given him the moment her father-in-law had given him to her.

Phillip looked around at the beautiful camp. Cabins lined the edge of the beach, each with a banner displaying the face of a different Pokemon. He wondered who he would bunk with, seeing as how he currently had no friends that he knew of attending this camp. He decided not to worry about it right now.

Alain Sycamore breathed in the fresh air he had come to love ever since his father had brought him here for the first time. This was the place where Charmander evolved into Charmeleon during the final triple battle on the last day of camp. Charmander had been the last one on his team standing, and he had been faced with two opponents left. The motivation to persevere had inspired it to evolve and become stronger, proceeding to beat impossible odds and win the battle. It was no surprise that Alain was able to Mega Evolve it when it evolved into Charizard, because their bond was so strong by then.

Alain looked out at the calm ocean water, reminiscing about those nostalgic childhood moments. They were the reason why he loved his job now; he loved to see children grow and become greater trainers, greater people...just as he had.

~ Pallet Town ~

"Aaron, that's fantastic! I'm so proud of you, honey," Serena Ketchum said to her son. He had video called home to tell his parents the great news of him earning his first badge in Santalune City, as well as telling them the bad news of his loss at the Lumiose City Gym.

"You should've seen it, Mom! I used Smokescreen to block the sun from Viola's Vivillon so it couldn't use Solarbeam right away, then Charmander ended it with an amazing Dragon Rage attack! I wish you and Dad could've seen it," Aaron Ketchum said, excited to share his success with his mother. It was unfortunate that Ash couldn't be home for this.

Serena smiled. She was so proud of her son, almost forgetting about how much she worried for him. "You know, Aaron, it was in that Gym where I first met your father," she said, remembering the day when she had decided to leave home just to see Ash again. In hindsight, Serena knew that leaving home on a whim had been a pretty hasty and somewhat reckless decision. _But it was all so worth it,_ she thought.

~ Geosenge Town ~

After arriving in the Kalos region, Damos, Alice, Brandon, and Meredith are all beginning their walk to Camp Sycamore, each of them excited as ever. It's a rather cloudy day, the sun still shining but with the feeling that rain might be upon them soon.

"All right, I can't wait to get to camp! How long until we get there?" Brandon asked, directing the question mainly towards Meredith.

Meredith looked at her map. "Hmm. Well it says here that the fastest way to there is through a cavern called Reflection Cave. Sounds interesting, doesn't it?"

Damos quickly answered, "Yeah, that sounds totally cool, Meredith! And don't worry, we won't get lost because I have a great sense of direction," he said in a rather conceited tone. Alice rolled her eyes.

"Sure you do, Damos. Like that one time you couldn't even find the way home from Lake Verity," she said, remembering the time when they had visited the lake in search of the legendary Pokemon that supposedly lived there.

Meredith and Brandon both laughed. Then Meredith said, "I'm reading about how apparently some people in Reflection Cave have...oh my goodness!"

Brandon looked at her curiously. "What? What is it? Oh, I want to know so badly!"

Meredith smiled and continued. "Apparently...some people have traveled to a parallel universe when they were inside Reflection Cave!"

~ Veilstone City ~

A man with purple hair and black eyes sat on a couch watching reruns of Pokemon battles on television. On the screen he watched as a familiar Pikachu released a powerful ball of electricity towards its opponent. The opposing Mega Gardevoir fell to the ground, knocked out.

 _Well that's new,_ Paul thought. _I guess he decided to ditch Volt Tackle for Electro Ball. Interesting decision._

Paul lived alone in a small apartment in his hometown, Veilstone. After his recent divorce with his wife, he had been feeling pretty depressed. He was completely unwilling to leave the house, except for work. He never answered the phone calls that he received from his brother, Reggie. He knew eventually that Reggie would come knocking on his door, but decided to deal with that when the occasion arose.

The only light left in his pathetic life was his son, Zack. Zack had just left for his Pokemon journey with an Elekid as his starter Pokemon. The Elekid was the child of Paul's Electivire, who was now living happily working at Fuego Iron Works.

Paul sighed heavily as he leaned back on the couch. Thinking that it would make him feel better as a person, he had released all of his Pokemon because he knew that they weren't happy with him. But it hadn't made things better. He just felt worse. But what alternative was there?

 _Zack...don't make the same mistakes I did..._ he thought.

~ Reflection Cave ~

Aaron Ketchum stood at the mouth of Reflection Cave as he decided whether or not to venture inside. He had heard the rumors; it definitely wasn't the safest place to just look around casually.

He had gotten there all the way from Lumiose City within a matter of minutes. How? He had met a man named Wally who was visiting from the Hoenn region. He had a Gardevoir that knew Teleport. Aaron knew that he needed to make up some distance after spending all that time challenging the Santalune and Lumiose Gyms, so he challenged Wally to a battle, wagering a ride to Reflection Cave, the closest reference point to the camp that he could find.

He had lost, but Wally admired his battling spirit and gave him the lift he needed anyway.

Now, he was faced with another dilemma. He knew it wasn't safe to go inside alone, but he had Charmander...maybe if he had traveled with a group of friends, this wouldn't be as much of an issue.

Alice, Damos, Brandon, and Meredith were all walking when they saw a lone boy and a small orange Pokemon sitting at the mouth of Reflection Cave. The twins and Brandon thought nothing of it, but Meredith's eyes widened a little. "Could that be...?" she asked aloud.

Aaron saw the four kids approaching him, two boys and two girls. One of the boys and one of the girls had navy blue hair and had similar-looking facial features, so he assumed that they were related. The other boy had bright blonde hair, and the other girl was a pretty brown-haired one with a blue bandana on her head. _Wait a second..._ he thought. He recognized her. The one with the blue bandana.

"Aaron! Is that you?" Meredith shouted as she ran up to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "What a coincidence! I'd never thought I'd meet you again!" she said, blushing.

Aaron smiled. "Meredith! It's been a long time, hasn't it?" he said. The two trainers enjoyed their reunion together.

Brandon was the next one to acknowledge Aaron, stepping up in a challenging sort of manner. "Hi! My name's Brandon, and it looks to me like you're a Pokemon trainer. Care to have a battle? You know what they say when two trainer's eyes meet!" he said, grabbing a Pokeball from his belt.

Aaron smiled and nodded. "Sure! How can I refuse an offer like that? My name's Aaron, and I get the feeling that you're strong!" he replied, confidence defining his demeanor. He glanced over at Meredith, who returned his gaze for a brief moment.

"All right, Turtwig, come on out!" Brandon shouted, tossing his Pokeball into the air. In a flash of white light, the Tiny Leaf Pokemon appeared.

"Wow! That's so cool! I've never seen that kind of Pokemon before!" Aaron exclaimed, pulling out his Pokedex. It said: "Turtwig, the Tiny Leaf Pokemon. Photosynthesis occurs across its body under the sun. The shell on its back is actually hardened soil."

Brandon smiled. "Yeah, Turtwig is my very first Pokemon, and I know that together we'll become super strong! And it all starts here, with our very first battle!"

Aaron nodded. "Your very first battle, huh? Then I guess we'll take it easy on you," he said. There was no intended arrogance in his voice, it was just Aaron's personality to try to keep everything on as fair grounds as possible.

Damos muttered under his breath, "This kid thinks he's some big hot-shot...I'll bet he's not even all that tough."

Shaking his head, Brandon retorted, "No need for that, Aaron! I'll bet me and Turtwig battle so well we can crush you, no matter how much experience you have compared to us!" Turtwig cried out in agreement, pumped up for a battle.

"Well, okay then. I guess it's time you met my partner! Charmander, take the battlefield!" Aaron shouted, throwing his Pokeball up high. Embers flew in all directions as Charmander emerged from its Pokeball.

Alice admired the flame burning on Charmander's tail. She could feel the heat radiating from its body even though she was about a meter away from it. She wondered if her Chimchar's flame would ever burn as brightly as that.

"Chimchar, come on out! Time to learn!" Alice shouted, releasing her partner from his Pokeball. "Chimchar, we're gonna watch these two battle, so I want you to pay attention and learn from it!" she said. Chimchar nodded, although truthfully he would have much rather been battling himself.

"Mudkip, you come out, too!" Meredith said as she tossed her partner's Pokeball into the air, revealing the Mud Fish Pokemon in a flash of white light. "Kip, kip!" it cheered, happy to be outside of its Pokeball.

Brandon and Turtwig stood facing Aaron and Charmander. Alice stepped up in between them. "Can I be the referee? Oh, please let me, please!" she frantically pleaded, excited to see her very first Pokemon battle up close.

Brandon laughed and said, "Of course, Alice. It's always good to practice officiating. What do you think, Aaron?"

Aaron nodded his head with a smile. "I don't see why not!" he said cheerfully.

On the sidelines, Damos was saying something to Meredith but she wasn't listening at all. Her thoughts were on Aaron. _Was he smiling at Alice? Okay, maybe he was just smiling to be nice...or maybe he thinks she's cute?_ Her mind raced with thoughts.

"Battle begin!" Alice shouted, a big smile on her face as she raised her hand up high. Beside her, Chimchar did the same thing. It glanced over at Charmander and noticed how brightly the flame burned on its tail. He looked behind him at his own tail and frowned, seeing a very meager flame in comparison.

"You and Turtwig can have the first move, Brandon!" Aaron said, confident that this battle was his already.

Brandon nodded. "Well, alright then! Turtwig, use...uh...useee..."

Everyone waited silently for Brandon to finish his command, but he just kept stumbling.

"Aw, shoot. I never even learned what moves Turtwig knows!" he said, drooping his head down as he pulled out his Pokedex. After about a minute of reading, he looked back up with a new sense of confidence. "Okay, sorry about that!" he said. "Turtwig, use Tackle!"

Turtwig charged forward as quickly as it could, but Charmander sidestepped out of the way without needing an order from Aaron.

"Charmander, let's hit it with a Dragon Rage!" Aaron calmly commanded.

Charmander released a purple, flame-like sphere towards Turtwig, who was far too slow to dodge it. Turtwig took the full brunt of the attack and was sent flying backward.

"Turtwig! Are you okay?" Brandon shouted, his face expressing concern for his Pokemon. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea,_ he thought.

"Charmander, use Ember!"

Turtwig cried out in pain as it suffered from the type disadvantage of the attack and rolled onto its back, unconscious.

Alice and Chimchar stared at Charmander with amazement. _Wow...that Charmander can really pack a punch..._

Meredith stared at Aaron adoringly, thoroughly impressed with his battling capabilities. _He's already a powerful trainer...just like he always said he would be..._

Damos shrugged nonchalantly. "It was an unfair matchup from the start," he said, using that as an excuse to downplay Aaron's strength.

"Oh, uh, um, Turtwig is unable to battle! Which means Charmander and Aaron win the match!" Alice announced.

Aaron walked up to Brandon and extended his hand. "That was a good match. Turtwig tried its best!" he said.

Brandon smiled shamefully. "Yeah, I know...but it wasn't fair to Turtwig for me to just throw it out there without knowing what I was doing first," he said, scratching the back of his head. He shook Aaron's hand. "Next time we battle, I'm gonna make sure to put up more of a fight!"

"Sure thing, Brandon. Just let me know whe-" but Aaron was cut off by the crackling of thunder.

Damos felt a drop of water on his head. "Uh-oh," he said, looking up at the sky.

Within seconds, a huge rainstorm fell heavily upon them without much warning. Lightning started to flash in the sky as they could hear rumbling thunder.

"Oh, man! Charmander, return!" Aaron shouted, recalling Charmander back into its Pokeball.

"You, too, Chimchar!" Alice shouted.

"C'mon, guys, let's get into the cave!" Damos yelled as she started running towards the entrance to Reflection Cave.

The other four trainers followed him. Aaron was the first to enter the cave, apparently being the fastest runner there. Damos, Alice, and Brandon finished close behind. Meredith stumbled, crying out as she fell towards the wet, muddy ground.

Aaron turned around and saw Meredith holding her ankle with both hands. "Meredith!" He quickly dashed back out into the storm and helped her up, allowing her to use him for support as they slowly made their way to the cave entrance.

When they were all safely inside the cave, Aaron pulled out his sleeping bag and wrapped it around Meredith to help keep her warm. He also sent out Charmander again to help keep everyone warm with its flame.

"Th-thanks, Aaron," Meredith said, her cheeks a deep shade of pink.

Aaron smiled. "No problem. I'm always here to help!" he said cheerfully.

Damos and Brandon were both glaring at Aaron, although no one noticed.

After a few moments of silence, Alice spoke up. "So...who wants to explore the cave?"

– – – –

End of Chapter 3. Sorry I haven't been able to update this story in a while, to the few people who actually follow this XD. What do you guys think Paul's son should be like? Also, I'm planning on cutting the size of the gang to 3-4 people after the camp; the others will go their separate ways but will still be recurring characters. Aaron, of course, is a staple member of the gang, so other than him who do you want to be in the main gang? I always take your thoughts and opinions into account!


	4. Chapter 4: Camp Sycamore!

Chapter 4: Camp Sycamore!

~ Cinnibar Island ~

A young boy named Jason sat staring out his bedroom window, his periwinkle hair in a muddled mess since he had just woken up. He looked to the side of his small bed and saw his Wynaut still sleeping, its arms tucked underneath its head.

Wynaut was one of the few things Jason could enjoy in his lackluster life. After all, it wasn't easy living in almost complete solitude. After the entire Team Rocket organization had officially disbanded for good, Jason's parents were forced to either turn themselves in for arrest or go into hiding. They decided on the latter.

So here he was, living pretty much all alone on a half-ruined island in the Kanto Region. His parents were always out at work, or at least what they called work. Jason knew what they were really up to out there. He always shook his head in disapproval when he thought of them.

It's not like they were bad parents. Well, the term 'bad' is relative. They were loving parents, that was for sure. Despite not having much money, they stopped at nothing to spoil Jason from a very early age. They had been showering him with gifts all his life, but the only one that truly meant anything to Jason was his tenth birthday present: Wynaut.

Wynaut was the child of his mom's Wobbuffet, who was now living happily somewhere in the Kalos region with a group of its own kind. Jason took extremely good care of Wynaut, and the two of them became inseparable since day one. Not that they could've really gotten separated anyway, since Jason was never allowed to leave the house.

Jason thought that today was going to be yet another boring, lifeless day. Every morning and night he would stare out his window for hours on end, imagining what it would be like to explore the outside world. He knew from books that he read that there were people out there called Pokemon trainers, who journeyed the world catching and battling with Pokemon everyday. He longed for the chance to do just that, traveling with Wynaut to all sorts of different places, experiencing new things.

So when Jason saw the boat in the distance, to say that he was excited would have been the understatement of the century.

– –

~ Reflection Cave ~

"Alice, maybe this isn't such a good idea..." Damos said nervously.

Alice ignored him and kept walking ahead of the group. She wasn't in the mood for conversation. She was hungering for adventure.

Brandon walked faster to catch up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should just slow down a bit. We need to stick together," he said.

Aaron and Meredith both nodded in agreement. As she walked, Meredith held the ribbon her mother had given her as a good luck charm. Well, to be more accurate, it was half a ribbon...May's half of the Terracotta Town Contest prize. Meredith cherished it, hoping that soon she would be winning contests as well.

"C'mon guys, let's hurry! Maybe something interesting will happen," Alice said, picking up her walking pace. Damos groaned and Brandon just sighed.

The group reached a dead end, walking into a large open space.

A pair of wings fluttered towards the roof of the cavern, but no one had heard it.

"Great. Now we're lost. What now?" Damos complained, sitting down against the wall.

Alice looked around. "There's something here. Something interesting. I just know it!" she said, touching the crystals and feeling the ground.

Brandon heard the faint sound of fluttering wings. He looked up, not seeing anything. "Huh," he said. "I could've sworn I heard something move up there."

Aaron froze. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck sticking up. "Guys," he said, "I don't have a good feeling about this."

Meredith gripped her half-ribbon tightly. "What's wrong, Aaron?" she asked nervously, inching closer to him.

Before anyone could react, a Woobat dropped down from the roof of the cave and started creating a gust of wind directed straight towards the group.

"What is that? Someone get rid of it!" Brandon shouted, holding his arm up in an attempt to block the Gust attack.

"Charmander, I choose you!" Aaron shouted, releasing his Pokemon from its Pokeball. Charmander appeared in a flash of white light, its tail immediately illuminating the area around it.

"Use Dragon Rage on that Pokemon, Charmander!" Aaron commanded. He hadn't noticed, but had instinctively grabbed Meredith's hand as soon as the Woobat had started attacking them.

Charmander released a ball of draconic power towards the Woobat, striking it directly on the nose. The gust of wind stopped as Woobat cried out in pain and flew back up towards the ceiling.

"Piece of cake. Right Charmander?" Aaron said, smiling.

Suddenly, dozens of Woobat swooped down from the ceiling, with one Swoobat among them. They all screeched loudly, their cries echoing throughout the walls of the cave.

"We've got to get out of here!" Aaron shouted. "C'mon!" he started sprinting away from the horde of Woobat, still holding Meredith's hand. Meredith did her best to keep up, stumbling a few times but managing to recover with Aaron's help.

Alice and Brandon were not too far behind as they ran for their lives, trying not to look back at the numerous Bat Pokemon chasing them.

Damos was having a rougher time of it. Several Woobat were using Heart Stamp on him as he desperately tried to escape.

"Charmander, use Ember and help Damos!" Aaron shouted.

Charmander released a powerful flame at the Woobat, scorching Damos's attackers and Damos himself.

The group somehow managed to all find their way out together, sprinting out the mouth of the cave. The Swoobat and Woobat retreated into the depths of the cavern, repulsed by the rays of the bright sun.

Everyone was breathing heavily as they all lay on the ground, exhausted. Luckily, no one had gotten seriously hurt; Damos was the only one who really suffered any injuries at all.

"Thanks, Charmander. You were great back there," Aaron said as he sat up, recalling Charmander back into its Pokeball.

Meredith sat up next to Aaron, blushing. "Thanks for...helping me, Aaron," she said with an appreciative smile on her face.

Aaron smiled back, rubbing underneath his nose. "No problem, Meredith! There's nothing I can't do for my friends!"

Alice, Damos, and Brandon all sat up after about five more minutes of rest. Aaron stood up and faced the rest of the group.

"Everyone ready to move? We're just a couple miles away from Camp Sycamore!" he said excitedly with a big smile on his face.

"All right! I know I'm ready!" Brandon shouted, pumping his fist into the air. "It's high time I started training with Turtwig, so I can't wait to get some good practice at camp!"

The twins both nodded and stood up. Meredith stood up as well, brushing the dirt off her clothes.

The group continued their walk to Camp Sycamore. Aaron talked about how his dad had gotten his first Pokemon way back in Pallet Town, which made for a humorous story.

Meredith hadn't noticed it yet, but the half-ribbon her mother had given her was missing.

– –

~ Camp Sycamore ~

"Thanks for helping with the set up, Phillip. My husband and I really appreciate it," Mairin said.

Phillip beamed as he replied, "Your welcome! I'm glad to assist you with anything you need."

Mairin smiled at the young boy. "You're a sweet boy, Phillip. I'm sure you're going to have a great time at camp!"

Phillip smiled back, but deep down inside he still wondered if he would be able to make friends. After all, he had spent most of his time at home trying to invent things. As a young child, he had rarely left the house to socialize with the other kids in Lumiose City. He glanced over at the camp's entrance, where Professor Sycamore was greeting incoming campers.

Helioptile jumped onto Phillip's shoulder and licked his face. Phillip laughed as he felt the warm comfort his Pokemon provided for him. "You're the best, Helioptile!" he said, petting it on its head.

– –

~ Route 11 ~

"There it is!" Aaron shouted, pointing ahead at the beach.

The exhausted group finally made their way to the entrance of Camp Sycamore.

"Finally!" Alice groaned, dragging her feet behind her as she walked.

Alain Sycamore was there to meet them, his hands outspread wide in a welcoming gesture. "Welcome to Camp Sycamore!" he greeted.

Phillip stood shyly at a distance, not making eye contact with anyone.

The five friends forced smiles as they all said hello to the professor, but they all really just wanted to find their cabins and sleep.

"Professor, I don't mean to sound rude, but we're all very tired from our journey here. Do you think we could maybe get to our cabins right now?" Aaron asked, using his best possible manners.

Alain stopped in his tracks as he recognized the boy before him. _This is his boy,_ he thought. He smiled.

"Of course! I completely understand. After all, you will all need rest for a big day tomorrow! The first day of camp is full of exciting battles!" Alain said. "Now, each of you has been assigned to a cabin, where you will stay with your team. Each cabin has a corresponding team name. Let's see here..." he said as he pulled out a clipboard. "Aaron, Meredith, Brandon, and Phillip; you are all on Team Charmander. Damos and Alice, you are both on Team Cyndaquil. Two boys named Zack and Liam are also on your team, and they are waiting for you at your cabin. Have fun, everyone! I'll see you all in the morning!" And with that, the professor left to go speak with his wife.

Aaron approached Phillip with his hand extended. "Hi! I'm Aaron Ketchum, and I'm from Pallet Town. What's your name?" he asked.

Phillip hesitated, but then shook Aaron's hand. He timidly replied, "My name is Phillip. I...I'm from Lumiose City."

Meredith and Brandon smiled and introduced themselves. Phillip awkwardly greeted them, doing his best to seem friendly. "I'll, uh, show you all to our cabin now," he said, turning and walking towards the houses lining the edge of the beach.

Damos and Alice both frowned at each other.

"I was hoping we'd be in different cabins," Damos said, annoyed that he had to spend more time with his sister.

"Well, I guess that's one thing we have in common," Alice retorted, her arms crossed defiantly. The two twins walked to their cabin, not speaking to one another.

At the main building, Alain Sycamore picked up the phone. He dialed the number he had been dialing for days now.

"Hello, Saffron City Hospital, how can I help you?"

– –

~ Pallet Town ~

"I'm home!" Ash announced as he walked into his house. He had just come back from a long trip.

His wife Serena was there to greet him. "Ash! I'm so happy you're back!" She said as she embraced him, kissing him multiple times.

Ash smiled. "It's good to be home, Serena. But...I'll be leaving soon again. I promised Alain I would show up to Camp Sycamore for at least the first day. You can come with me, if you want," he said, feeling slightly guilty.

Serena nodded her head understandingly. "I think I will! It'll bring back great memories from when we were young, won't it?" she answered with a winning smile. "After all, I do miss traveling the world with a Champion..."

– –

~ Twinleaf Town ~

"You sure you don't want to come with me, dear?" Dawn asked her husband, Kenny.

Kenny shook his head with a smile. "I've got work, Dee Dee. Empoleon and I have to help out the young coordinators at the trainer's school. We've got a field trip tomorrow to Hearthome City, where we're going to witness Fantina's beautiful performances. I'm sorry I can't go with you," he said.

Dawn nodded. "Of course. Work comes first, I suppose. I just wish you could be there with me to surprise Alice and Damos. I think they'll both be thrilled to see me!" she exclaimed happily.

Kenny grinned a little. "I wouldn't be so sure of that, Dee Dee. They left home to get away from us, remember?" he chuckled.

"Oh, stop it. You know they want to see their mother," Dawn replied, packing up the last few things into her suitcase.

– –

~ Camp Sycamore ~

"Do you know who I am?!" Alain angrily shouted into the phone. "My Pokemon needs immediate attention. It's been suffering greatly for days! I need your best doctors out here right now!" Alain was unable to contain his emotions.

"We apologize, Professor. We understand how much your Charizard means to you. Don't worry, everything will be taken care of. We have just sent our absolute best doctor to your camp, Doctor Brock Harrison. We have full confidence in him that he will be able to resolve the problem," the lady answered. "He will be there by tomorrow afternoon."

Alain calmed down a little. "Thank...Thank you..." he said, and he hung up the phone. He walked into his room, where Charizard lay motionless, eyes closed from the pain he was suffering.

– – – –

End of the chapter. Sorry if it was boring; I promise the future chapters will be more interesting. I've just been extremely busy this summer and it's been really tough to find time to write. Anyway, as always, reviews are greatly appreciated! What do you enjoy about this story? What am I doing that you don't like? It's really helpful to know, so please feel free to comment on anything you'd like. It makes writing more enjoyable for me.


	5. Chapter 5: New Friends, Old Friends

Hey guys, I just wanted to say a few things before you read this next chapter. Due to the relative lack of interest in this story, (I'm comparing with my other two stories) I'm considering bagging it altogether for good and finishing my Pearlshipping story, which is still on temporary hiatus (I apologize for that). People just don't review for this story, which makes me feel like it's appeal has waned significantly since the first chapter. I may just continue the story anyway, as I typically write for myself and not just for views and followers. However, I'm very pressed for time this summer, so I would prefer to produce writing that more of the community will enjoy. I honestly don't know what to do right now; but I'm figuring things out. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter 5: New Friends, Old Friends

~ Cinnibar Island ~

"We're home, Jason!"

Jessie and James both walked into their small, secluded house on the half-ruined Cinnibar Island of the Kanto region. However, unlike every single other day, their son was not there waiting for them.

"Jason? C'mon down, son! We brought home your favorite snack!" James shouted, opening a bag of fresh pastries on the kitchen counter. He suddenly felt one of his Pokeballs shaking.

"Ah, yes, I forgot. C'mon out, Inkay!" he said cheerfully, allowing the Revolving Pokemon to emerge from its capsule. Inkay smiled as it laid its eyes upon the freshly-baked crescents on the counter. It shamelessly began stuffing its face immediately, not leaving a crumb on its plate.

Jessie looked around as she took off her coat. "Where is my little darling? He's usually already down here waiting for us..." she said as she started making her way up the steps. "Jason? Honey, are you sleeping?"

James and Inkay continued peacefully enjoying their pastries when suddenly they heard Jessie's horrified scream.

– –

~ Cyllage City Coast ~

"Well, we're almost there, kid. Where do you want me to drop you off? Kalos is a vast region. Lots of cool places."

Jason shrugged his shoulders, having no idea what to do or where to go. "I'm really not sure. Where do you recommend beginner trainers go?" he asked.

The sailor thought for a minute, then replied, "Camp Sycamore. I've heard that's the best summer camp any trainer can attend to grow closer and stronger with their Pokemon, as well as getting to know other people. I can drop you off at Cyllage City, and you can make the rest of the way to camp yourself."

Jason nodded and replied, "Thank you, Mr. Briney. I really appreciate you spending the time to take me here. Your boat is SO fast!" he exclaimed. Wynaut clapped its hands and nodded in agreement.

He was right. Mr. Briney's boat was remarkably fast, reaching speeds that almost matched that of Sharpedo.

Mr. Briney smiled at the young boy. "Not a problem at all, kid. You see, my father used to sail the seas of Hoenn, giving people rides from Dewford to Slateport and the like. I, however, made the necessary improvements to his boat so that I can now sail internationally. It's a stroke of luck that I happened upon you; it sounds like you've had a rough time of it on that island."

"That's so cool...so you're following in your father's footsteps, but improving upon them?" Jason asked, fascinated. "And yeah, I've been wanting to run away for the longest time...but up until now there hasn't been a viable opportunity."

Mr. Briney nodded. "I would say I understand, but the thing is I really don't. My father was a great man, always cheerful and high-spirited. He and his lifelong partner, a Wingull named Peeko. He told me that he's very proud of me for choosing the life of a sailor. And if my mother hadn't passed away when I was young, I'm sure she would've been proud too..." Mr. Briney's voice trailed off.

Jason looked down at the deck floor. "My parents never told me what they did when they were younger. But I'm not stupid...I know there's a reason we have to live in solitude on that stupid island. I just haven't figured it out yet...and honestly, I don't really care right now. All I know is it's time for me to start a new beginning for myself. For me and Wynaut."

– –

~ Camp Sycamore ~

Meredith was up early, long before the camp activities were to begin. She was on the beach, alone, practicing moves with Mudkip.

"Okay, Mudkip, use Water Gun again, full power!" Meredith commanded, trying to get into the battling spirit. In truth, battling was not something she was really interested in. _But I have to try to impress Aaron,_ she thought. _I don't want him to see me as a weak, incapable Pokemon trainer._

Both of her parents were fantastic Pokemon coordinators, and they both wanted her to do the same. For a while, Meredith thought that was exactly what she was going to do. That is, until the Ketchums had come to visit.

"Muuudkip!" Mudkip shot a weak stream from its mouth into the calm, ocean water. It repeated this action until the stream became bigger, stronger.

Seeing Mrs. Ketchum had got Meredith thinking about Pokemon performing as a possible career. Mrs. Ketchum had shown her a video of her final showcase competition. Meredith marveled at how beautiful Mrs. Ketchum and her Pokemon looked as they performed together, and couldn't help but dream of herself on that stage with her own Pokemon. Her thoughts returned to the situation at hand.

 _What if...I still get crushed today...what will Aaron think of me?_ She thought.

"Hey, Meredith!" said a familiar voice from behind her.

Surprised, she quickly turned around to see Aaron, still in his pajamas, walking across the sand towards her. _Oh my gosh, he's here! This is so embarrassing..._

"Oh, um, hey Aaron! What are you, uh, what are you doing up so early?" she asked, trying to seem as casual as possible. Mudkip stopped its Water Gun reps and looked over at its trainer.

Aaron yawned and scratched the back of his head. "I was just about to ask you that. I got up to use the bathroom and noticed that you weren't in your bed. So I got curious and came looking for ya," he said. "Hope I didn't interrupt anything."

Meredith shook her head. "Oh no, it's fine! I was just, um...taking a walk with Mudkip."

Aaron knit his eyebrows a little. "Really? It looked to me as if you were practicing some moves! Can I see some?" he asked, smiling at her, his bright blue eyes shining in the light of dawn.

Blushing, Meredith looked down at the ground. "Well...we're not exactly...good yet," she said shamefully.

Aaron put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't say that. I know battling isn't really your thing, you wanna be a coordinator right? And by the way, why are you practicing moves anyway?"

 _He thinks I want to be a coordinator?_ Meredith thought. _Oh, that's right...that's what I told him back when we were little..._

Meredith played with her hands nervously as she said, "Um, well...I just wanted to...uh..."

Aaron frowned. "Is everything okay, Meredith?" he asked, his face full of concern.

"Yeah! Everything is just fine. Couldn't be better! I just, well...it's really embarrassing to talk about it..." Meredith said, shyly trying to avoid eye contact.

"Don't feel that way! We're friends, right? You can tell me anything, and I won't tell anyone, promise," Aaron said, giving her a smile and a friendly thumbs-up.

Meredith looked up and couldn't help but smile. Aaron always made her feel better, no matter what the circumstances were. "I guess I just wanted to practice because...I didn't want you to think I was weak," she said, quickly looking back down at the ground. Mudkip walked up to her and touched its paw to her leg, a worried look on its face. "Kip?"

Aaron was taken aback. "Meredith...why would you worry about something like that? I would never, ever think badly of you. I think you're awesome, and whatever you decide to do, you'll do great! You've never even had a Pokemon battle yet, and I'm sure you and Mudkip will do just fine today!" Aaron did his best to cheer her up. He hated seeing people so down on themselves, especially Meredith.

Still looking down, Meredith nodded. "Th-Thanks, Aaron...it's good to know that you'll always support me," she said.

"That's right. I'll always stick by you, no matter what! Now how about I show you a few things before today's activities start?" Aaron asked cheerfully, pulling out Charmander's Pokeball.

Meredith looked up. "I'd...I'd like that a lot, thank you..." she said, her lips starting to curve into a smile.

– –

Alice had just woken up to the sound of a Pokemon's cry. She got up from bed and walked over to the window where she could see outside. She could see that Aaron and Charmander were battling against Meredith and Mudkip on the beach.

She smiled. _I swear those two are gonna get married,_ she thought. As she walked back to her bed, she accidentally tripped over one of Damos's bags.

The noise she made was loud enough to awake Zack, who was not happy about it at all. He opened his eyes and shot an angry look at her. "Do you have any idea what time it is? I'm trying to get some sleep here!" he said, clearly annoyed.

The boy whose name was Liam had also woken up and was now sitting up on his bed. "C'mon, man. Give her a break. It was just an accident," he said, rubbing his eyes as he yawned.

Zack grunted. "You know, I'll bet I could beat you in a Pokemon battle. Would that get you to shut up, Liam?" he angrily retorted.

Liam just grinned. "I'd like to see you try, buddy. Cyndaquil and I haven't lost a battle since we started out on our journey together. I came from New Bark Town of the Johto region, all the way here so I could learn from the best. And it looks like I'll get to battle some scrubs in the process," he said confidently.

"You talk a whole lot, but I'll bet you're not even as good as you say you are. We'll just see today who the better trainer is. Now shut up and go to sleep!" Zack said, laying back down under the covers.

Liam could've kept arguing, but as much of a jerk as Zack was, he sort of had a point. They were both going to need their rest.

– –

~ Littleroot Town ~

"Kyle, please don't bother your sister like that."

May and her husband Drew were sitting on their porch, watching their two youngest children play in the yard. May is about to leave to visit Camp Sycamore a day early to spend some time with her daughter.

"Be sure to come back soon, okay? I'm gonna miss you. And tell Meredith I love her for me," Drew said, smiling at his childhood rival.

May nodded, looking at her husband adoringly. "I'm just going to help the campers with their Pokevision videos. The professor's wife asked me to come herself after she watched some of my contest performances. Apparently she's a big fan," May said, chuckling a little.

– –

~ Camp Sycamore ~

It's 9:00. The brisk morning air has everyone excited for the first day of Camp Sycamore. Everyone is at the dining hall eating breakfast with their teams. Although the atmosphere is lighthearted and peaceful, there is an unexplainable tension in the air.

"Man, I can't wait to get out there on the battlefield!" Aaron exclaimed as he inhaled his pancakes. Like his father, Aaron was quite the eater, consuming his food at a much higher rate than his companions.

"Me neither! I'm aiming to win at least twice as many times as I lose!" Brandon said between bites. "Turtwig and I are ready for anything!"

Meredith smiled. "I sure hope I'll do okay..." she said, her voice trailing off as she spoke. Aaron put a hand on her shoulder.

"Remember what I said: you'll be fine," Aaron reassured her.

Phillip managed to find the courage to speak. "I, uh, I've never used my Helioptile in a battle before, Aaron. Do you think you could give me a few, um, tips?"

Aaron's eyes lit up. "You bet! I'd be happy to help! Okay, so first-"

But he was cut off by the professor. "Good morning, campers! How is everyone doing? Welcome to day one of Camp Sycamore! Today is simple: Have fun battling on the beach! Challenge anyone you'd like; this is just a way for us to all get to know each other better. Whenever you're ready!" he announced. Then he quickly turned away and walked out of the room.

 _He seemed like he was in kind of a rush,_ Phillip thought. _What could be so urgent at a time like this?_

Brandon downed his glass of orange juice and stood up. "All right, I'm ready to head out. See you all out there!" he said as he sprinted out the door, bumping into people along the way. Aaron and Meredith both chuckled.

Aaron had just cleaned his plate and stood up. "I think I'm ready, too. Ready to go, Meredith?" he asked.

Nodding her head, Meredith wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up. "You know, Aaron...I was wondering...maybe sometime today we could partner up for a tag team battle together?" she asked him, her green eyes gazing into his blue ones.

Aaron nodded and smiled. "That sounds like a great idea! Looking forward to it," he said. The two young trainers both walked out of the building and headed towards the beach, talking about Pokemon.

Within a matter of minutes the beach was scattered with numerous Pokemon battles. Trainers from all over the world with all sorts of different Pokemon were competing fiercely as well as getting to know one another.

"Snivy, use Leaf Tornado!"

"Bulbasaur, use Poison Powder!"

"Nice job, Turtwig!"

"Yeah, Cyndaquil! You rock, and you rule!"

Every battle was fought with extreme drive and passion, each trainer putting everything they had into it. Those who were more interested in Pokemon coordinating and performing stood on the sidelines for the most part, cheering on their friends as they battled.

– –

~ Route 11 ~

"Hey, May!"

Dawn had been walking along the path to Camp Sycamore when she saw an old friend ahead of her.

May turned around and smiled when she saw Dawn running up to her. "Dawn! It's been too long. How have you been?" she asked.

After the two of them hugged, Dawn replied, "I've been great! I'm just going up to visit the acclaimed Camp Sycamore to see my two children there; I miss them so much already even though its only been a few days since they left."

May nodded understandingly. "I see, that's so sweet. I'm going to help out with the children's Pokevision videos; the professor's wife asked me personally to come. I'm also here to see my child, Meredith."

– –

Alain heard the knock on his door and got up to answer it. He opened the door and smiled when he saw two familiar faces.

"It's been a long time, old friend," Ash said to Alain, extending his hand.

Alain nodded and shook his hand. "It definitely has, Cham-"

Mairin ran up to the doorway when she heard Ash's voice. "Ash! So nice to see you again! How is Serena? Oh, Serena! You're here! You look so beautiful as always. It's no wonder you were Kalos Queen back in the day!"

Ash and Serena both smiled. "It's great to see you again, Mairin, and you look beautiful as well," Serena said cheerfully. The mention of Kalos Queen brought back memories of her childhood, and that made her smile.

"Professor, I've checked all of Charizard's symptoms and it seems-" Brock Harrison said as he walked into the room, though he was cut off by Ash.

"Brock! Is that you?" Ash exclaimed.

Brock looked up to see his old childhood friend, the kid he had traveled with through so many different regions. The kid he had spent so much time with, experiencing so many different things together. The kid, that is, who was now a grown man. He couldn't believe his eyes.

The two friends embraced each other in a bro hug. "Well I'll be. It's been too long, Pokemon Master Ash," Brock said.

"Pokemon Doctor Brock...I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep in touch lately," Ash said guiltily.

Brock shook his head. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I can't believe it's really been this long. And this is your wife?" he asked, extending his hand towards Serena, who shook it with a friendly smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Brock. Ash has told me a lot about you," the former Kalos Queen said.

"And Ash has told me a lot about you. That is, back when you two were teenagers. My god, Ash wouldn't stop talking about you." Brock chuckled, but beneath his cheerful demeanor dwelled feelings of sadness, and loneliness. _I wonder when I'll find myself a wife,_ he thought.

Ash looked back to Alain. "So, why did you call up Brock, Alain? There isn't something wrong, is there?"

Alain looked at Brock hopefully. "Well, I'm not sure. Doctor Harrison, what's the update on Charizard?"

Brock nodded optimistically. "Charizard will be fine. It was just suffering from a rare condition that we find sometimes in powerful fire-type Pokemon. I gave it the necessary antibiotics, it just needs to rest a little bit longer. And please, call me Brock," he said.

Alain could've hugged Brock at that moment. "Thank you so much for your help, Brock. I...I don't know what I would've done without your help. Please, feel free to stay at our camp for as long as you wish."

Brock smiled but shook his head. "Unfortunately, I really should be headed back home. I've got a lot of respon-"

Ash cut him off. "C'mon now, Brock, what the hell? You flew all the way out here, just for one appointment? I think it's time a great doctor like you had some vacation time," he said.

Alain nodded. "Please, it's the least we can do for you. And I'm sure the kids here would benefit greatly from any knowledge you could provide them, if that's something you're interested in," he said.

Brock gave in. The offer was just too much to pass up. "Well, alright. I guess I can afford to stay a little longer," he said. "So where are the kids at now?"

– –

Aaron and Meredith are now about to battle two-on-two against Brandon and Alice, an event that attracted several spectators due to the fact that Aaron was the only kid out of them all who had a League Badge.

Alice could barely contain her excitement as she threw Chimchar's Pokeball into the air, shouting, "Chimchar! Let's get this battle started!" Chimchar appeared on the sand, pumping its fists into the air excitedly, a cheerful yet determined look on its face.

Brandon nodded and tossed Turtwig's Pokeball into the air, shouting, "Alright, Turtwig. Time to show 'em what you got!" Turtwig stood firmly in the sand, psyched for a rematch with Charmander.

Meredith held Mudkip's Pokeball in both hands. "Mudkip, let's do our best!" she said as she released her Pokemon onto the battlefield. Mudkip had a brave face on, ready for battle.

Aaron adjusted his hat and looked over at Meredith, a big smile on his face. "Charmander! Take the battlefield!" he yelled as he threw a Pokeball into the air. Charmander appeared in a flash of white light, small embers flying about as it emerged from its capsule. Everyone admired the flame burning on Charmander's tail.

Ash, Serena, Brock, Alain, and Mairin all stood on the sidelines to watch, though Aaron hadn't noticed them yet.

"Battle begin!" Liam shouted, acting as referee for the battle.

Meredith immediately looked to Aaron. "What should we start with, Aaron?" she asked nervously, hoping her Mudkip wouldn't get too hurt.

Aaron calmly answered, "Let's let them make the first move. Then we'll decide what the best course of action is." Meredith nodded and waited for Brandon and Alice to give a command.

Brandon turned to Alice. "Let's both attack at once. There's no way we can lose if we just stay in sync," Brandon said.

Alice nodded. "Okay. Chimchar, use Scratch!" she shouted.

"Turtwig, use Tackle!" Brandon ordered.

Meredith grew more nervous by the second as Chimchar and Turtwig, side by side, both charged Mudkip and Charmander. On the contrary, Aaron grew more confident.

"Charmander! Use Smokescreen!" Aaron said, knowing full well that the opponents wouldn't be capable of dealing with such a move.

Charmander released a large cloud of black smoke that engulfed Turtwig and Chimchar, who both immediately stopped running and closed their eyes, trying to find their way out of the cloud.

Aaron turned to Meredith. "Now's your chance. Show 'em what we practiced this morning!" he said, confidence in his eyes.

 _He trusts me with this..._ Meredith thought. She looked out at the battlefield. "Okay, Mudkip, use Water Gun on Chimchar!" she commanded.

Mudkip leaped into the air and released a powerful stream of water straight towards poor Chimchar, who had no chance of dodging it. It got knocked back from the force of the attack, as well as suffering considerable damage.

Alice gasped. "Chimchar! Are you okay?"

Chimchar nodded as it weakly stood back up, not willing to give up.

On the sideline, Ash nodded. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see two of his best friends, who he hadn't seen in years.

Brandon stepped forward. "Turtwig, use Razor Leaf!" he shouted. _Razor Leaf can hit both targets, so this should be a solid move!_

"Charmander, use Ember! Let the ashes blow in the wind," Aaron said confidently, smiling.

Charmander let loose a powerful Ember attack, burning right through the majority of Turtwig's leaves, then proceeding to strike Turtwig directly.

Brandon shouted, "Turtwig! Hang in there!"

"Piece of cake," Aaron said with a grin. "Charmander, finish off Turtwig with Dragon Rage!" he commanded.

Turtwig was too slow to dodge. Dragon Rage hit it with full force, knocking it back. Turtwig lay on the sand, motionless.

"Turtwig!" Brandon shouted, running over to pick up his Pokemon.

Alice felt an immediate sense of dread. _I don't want that to happen to my Pokemon..._ she thought to herself.

"Mudkip, use Tackle!" Meredith shouted, a big smile on her face. Despite the fact that battling wasn't her cup of tea, she was enjoying every moment battling alongside Aaron.

Mudkip charged towards Chimchar with mediocre speed.

"Dodge it, Chimchar!" Alice shouted, gripping her fists worriedly.

Chimchar jumped out of the way of Mudkip's Tackle, only to find Charmander directly in front of it.

"Charmander, end this with Scratch!" Aaron shouted, adjusting his hat.

Chimchar tried to get out of the way, but Charmander was too quick. With one swipe, Charmander knocked out Chimchar, ending the battle.

"Chimchar and Turtwig are both unable to battle, which means the victory goes to Aaron and Meredith!"

"All right!" Aaron shouted, pumping his fist into the air. He turned to Meredith and smiled. "You were awesome, Meredith. Just how I said you were gonna be!"

Meredith's cheeks turned a deep shade of pink. "Th-thanks Aaron, that means a lot..."

May tapped Ash on the shoulder and pointed to their children. She whispered something into his ear as Aaron and Meredith noticed that they were there.

"Dad! And Mom! You guys are here!" Aaron exclaimed as he ran over to them, Charmander following right behind him.

Ash brought Aaron into a hug. "We were watching your battle. I was very impressed," he said, smiling at his son. "Your Charmander looks like its got lots of potential."

Serena nodded and embraced Aaron in her arms. "We are just...so, so proud of you, Aaron. You've only just started your journey, and already you've proven to be so strong and passionate. You remind me so much of your father," she said, smiling at her husband.

"Meredith, you were great out there. It looks like you could have the makings for a great coordinator if you can battle like that," May said as she hugged her eldest daughter.

Meredith nodded, although she still felt a twinge of doubt in her mind. _Is being a coordinator what I really want?_ She thought to herself. "Thanks, mom," she said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

Dawn hugged Alice and Damos so tightly that the twins found themselves gasping for air. "I've missed you both so much!" she said, almost in tears.

Alice and Damos both smiled sympathetically. "Mom...we're fine. There's really no need to worry about us so much," Alice said.

Damos nodded. "She's right. We're old enough now that we can take care of ourselves," he said.

Dawn smiled. "You two agreed on something! That just shows how much you've grown since you left," she remarked, chuckling as the twins rolled their eyes.

– –

~ Cerulean City ~

"Daisy, just please make sure you take good care of the gym while I'm gone, okay?"

Daisy nodded. "Misty, you don't need to worry about a thing. I promise to actually battle the trainers this time," she said.

Misty smiled, laughing a little. "Good! I'm counting on you, you know," she said as she packed the last few things in her bags. "Don't forget to clean the pool water, and don-"

Daisy raised her hand up. "Misty. I'm no longer a young, immature teenage girl; I can deal with responsibility now. Luvrin and I will handle the gym just fine. Now, go!" she said, pushing her lightly.

"Thanks, Daisy. I know I can trust you," Misty said, waving good-bye as she walked to the airport.

– –

~ Camp Sycamore ~

"So tomorrow's the fishing competition, right?" Ash asked, remembering the day he caught an Alomomola here.

Alain nodded. "That's correct. I've asked a Water-type specialist to come help the children learn how to fish and enrich their learning experience overall."

"Oh, really? Who? Is it Siebold?" Ash asked.

Alain shook his head. "Oh, no. Siebold is much too busy to be teaching children how to fish. No, I've actually asked a Gym Leader from the Kanto region to come, a woman who Professor Oak recommended I asked," he replied.

Ash's eyes lit up. "Oh, you're talking about Misty! Now that's a long story to tell," he said, chuckling.

– –

~ Route 11 ~

Exhausted, Jason and Wynaut were walking on the path to Camp Sycamore. It had certainly been quite the adventure getting there.

He had run into an extremely aggressive Staravia as he was walking through the mountainous area. When it had used Whirlwind on them, Jason and Wynaut were actually blown towards the direction of the camp. Wynaut noticed this and used Encore so that the Staravia continued to use Whirlwind. It was a rough way to travel, but Jason was happy that Wynaut had saved them a lot of time.

"You know, Wynaut, you could just hang out in your Pokeball until we get there," Jason said, feeling sorry for his young, inexperienced Pokemon.

Wynaut shook its head, with a half-hearted smile on its face. "Wy, Wynaut!"

Jason smiled. "Okay, have it your way buddy," he said. _Wynaut is such an awesome Pokemon,_ he thought. _I'm lucky to have him._

He thought guiltily of his parents back at home, who both must have been devastated when they found out he had run away. He shook the thoughts out of his mind, focusing on his current goal. _Serves them right for not telling me anything,_ he thought bitterly.

As they approached the entrance to Camp Sycamore, Jason felt overcome with anxiety. _I've never...talked to another kid before...let alone a whole bunch of them all in one place..._

Wynaut looked up at Jason with that innocent smile and cheered, "Wynaut! Naut, wynaut!"

Jason smiled at his Pokemon. "You're right, Wynaut. You and I, we're ready for anything! Now it's time to say hello to the world," he said. He and Wynaut walked through the entrance. To many, this would just seem mildly exciting to them. To Jason, it was so much more than that. This was a huge milestone in his life. He had lived all his life so far almost completely alone, and now here he was, walking straight into the unknown.

– – – –


	6. Chapter 6: Suspicions

Chapter 6: Suspicions

~ Cinnibar Island ~

"I cannot believe he would dare do such a thing! I just can't wait until he comes home, crying for his mommy!" Jessie exclaimed angrily. She was not taking this well at all.

James sighed. "I'm sure he will come home, honey. Let's just calm down a bit," he said. _He won't come back,_ he thought sadly.

"Don't tell me to calm down! He is in so much trouble when I find him! C'mon, we're leaving. Now!" Jessie shouted. She got up and started angrily packing a suitcase, throwing in objects within the immediate area. James seriously questioned the necessity of some of the things she was packing, such as a large serving spoon, but decided not to say anything.

 _What have we become...?_ James thought to himself.

~ Camp Sycamore ~

Brandon woke up in his bed in the Team Charmander cabin. He glanced at the clock, which displayed 7:14. Today's camp activity started at 9. He looked out the window and saw Aaron and Meredith training on the beach together. It looked to him like they were practicing some combination moves. He sighed and looked down at the floor, his heart feeling heavy with melancholy.

– –

For the first time in his life, Jason woke up in an unfamiliar bed. He rubbed his eyes as he sat up and looked around the small cabin he was staying in. Wynaut was still fast asleep beside him. Other than Wynaut, Jason was the only one in the room. Since he hadn't been there for the first day, he was never assigned a team.

 _I still feel so lonely..._ he thought to himself. He glanced out the window of the cabin and saw two people on the beach with what looked like two Pokemon with them.

– –

"Hey, that's pretty good! I think that combo will work really well in battle," Aaron said, smiling at Meredith.

Meredith nodded excitedly. "I can't wait to try it out! Although I think today we're just fishing, if I remember correctly."

A boy with light purple hair approached the two trainers slowly, a small blue Pokemon walking beside him.

"Um, hi. My name is Jason," the boy said, standing awkwardly at a distance from them.

Aaron smiled. "What's up? I'm Aaron, and this is my partner Charmander," he said, gesturing towards the Lizard Pokemon beside him.

Meredith stepped up next to Aaron. "Hi! My name is Meredith, and my first Pokemon is Mudkip right here," she said, looking at the Mud Fish Pokemon.

Jason nodded. "It's nice to, uh, meet you. I just, um, wanted to come down and watch you guys train. This is my partner, Wynaut, although I'm not exactly a trainer..." he said, looking down at the ground shamefully.

Aaron shook his head. "Sure you're a trainer! You're here at this camp, aren't you? How about we have a battle? My dad always told me that battling is the best way to get to know someone!" he said.

Jason felt uncertain. _I don't even know if Wynaut can fight..._ he thought. Flashbacks of him and Wynaut playing together back at the island played through his head. There was one where he threw a ball at Wynaut and Wynaut had just stood there, its body glowing a bright shade of red. The ball had bounced back with much more force than what Jason had thrown it with initially. _Maybe...that's one of Wynaut's moves?_ He wondered.

"So? What do you say?" Aaron asked cheerfully. Charmander smiled with a determined look on its face.

Jason looked to Wynaut, who nodded its head, smiling. Jason looked back to Aaron and nodded. "I guess if Wynaut wants to, then I can't say no," he said.

Aaron gave him a thumbs-up. "Alright! Then let's get started!" he said, turning to Meredith. "You wanna ref our match, Mary?"

Meredith was slightly taken aback at being called her childhood nickname. Ever since she had turned nine, she had been wanting to be called by her full name because she felt like it sounded more mature. But hearing Aaron say it again made her blush a little.

Aaron tilted his head a bit. "Mary? You gonna be our ref?" he asked.

Meredith came back to her senses and nodded quickly. "Sure! I'd love to," she said, smiling warmly at him.

Aaron smiled. "Great," he turned to Jason. "You can have the first move!"

Jason shook his head. "Nah, I think it would be better if you started," he said. He didn't want to tell Aaron that he actually wasn't capable of making the first move at the moment. Not until he learned some of Wynaut's moves. _I hope Wynaut knows what to do,_ he thought desperately.

Aaron shrugged. "Well, okay. Suit yourself. Charmander, use Scratch!" he commanded, extending his arm out forward.

With incredible speed, Charmander dashed to Wynaut and slashed at it with its claw.

"Um, uh, Wynaut, block the attack! Like you did with the ball at home!" Jason shouted, clenching his fist with worry.

Wynaut stood its ground and began glowing red, allowing Charmander to attack. Charmander swiped at Wynaut, only to be knocked backward. Charmander's eyes widened with shock as it flew backward and ungracefully landed on the ground.

Aaron knit his eyebrows with confusion. _What the...how am I supposed to beat a defense like that?_

Jason's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Nice job, Wynaut! Who knew you could battle like that?" he exclaimed, almost jumping with excitement. _So this is what having a Pokemon battle feels like,_ he thought.

Aaron smiled. "I gotta say, I'm impressed already, Jason! But we're just getting' started...Charmander, use Ember!" he shouted.

Charmander jumped into the air and released red-hot flames towards Wynaut. Again, Wynaut stood there and took the attack, only this time it was glowing blue. Wynaut took a step back after suffering the damage, but the reflected Ember attack hit Charmander with twice as much power.

Aaron frowned. _It's just reflecting our attacks, but with more power...and I wonder if there's a reason it glowed a different color this time..._

Jason laughed lightheartedly. "All right, Wynaut! That was awesome!" he cheered. Wynaut turned and nodded, a big smile on its face.

"Charmander, use Smokescreen!" Aaron said, already forming a plan in his head. He was quick to adapt to unique battling situations like this one.

Charmander nodded, understanding what needed to be done. He opened his mouth and filled the air with black smoke. Wynaut glowed blue, but nothing happened since Smokescreen was not a damaging attack that could be reflected. Aaron was gaining the upper hand.

Jason took a step back. "Wynaut! Are you okay?" he shouted. He looked around frantically, trying to get a glimpse of his Pokemon.

Aaron adjusted his hat. "Now, Charmander, use Dragon Rage!" he calmly commanded.

Wynaut couldn't see it coming, and took the full brunt of the Dragon Rage attack without being able to reflect it back. A large explosion created more smoke in the area. After a few seconds, the smoke cleared and Wynaut was lying in the sand, unconscious.

Meredith held up her hand. "Wynaut is unable to battle, so Charmander is the winner!" she announced. _I knew Aaron would win,_ she thought.

Aaron put his hand on Charmander's head. "Great job, buddy. I knew we could figure that one out!" he said. "Now take a good rest." He recalled Charmander back into its Pokeball.

Jason knelt by Wynaut's side, a guilty look on his face. "Wynaut! I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have battled without knowing what to do..."

Aaron shook his head. "Don't say that! You and Wynaut did just fine for your first battle. I've never seen a strategy like that before!" he said encouragingly.

Jason looked up and smiled a little. "Thanks, Aaron. I appreciate it. I get the feeling you're a really strong trainer."

Aaron scratched the back of his head. "I wouldn't say that. Not yet, at least. But that's what I'm aspiring to be! A Pokemon Master, like my dad, is just what I want to be!"

– –

Ash smiled as he turned away from the window he had been looking out of. He had been watching Aaron and Jason's battle. _He's going to be a great trainer,_ he thought.

"Well good morning, Mr. Ketchum," said a familiar voice from behind him. Ash turned around and smiled.

"Misty! It's been way too long," he said. The childhood friends hugged each other as Misty chuckled a bit.

"It's great to see you again! How's Serena? The last time I saw her was at your wedding," Misty said. "I still can't believe a beautiful Kalos Queen like her married the immature brat I used to travel with," she joked, smiling.

Ash laughed. "Gimme a break! I was only ten back then," he said, remembering the good ol' days of traveling the world with numerous different friends and Pokemon alike.

"That's your son out there, isn't it? He's looking to me like a fantastic trainer in the making," Misty commented, glancing out the window.

Ash nodded. "He sure is. That Charmander of his...I can't wait to see it become a Charizard as powerful as mine. Serena and I couldn't be more proud." He chuckled as he looked out the window. "Who knows...maybe he'll end up battling you for the Cascade Badge someday."

– –

Everyone at Camp Sycamore was now awake and eating breakfast at the dining hall. Rumor had it that they were going to be participating in a fishing competition, and each team member of every cabin was excited.

"Do you guys know if we get to keep the Pokemon we catch?" Alice asked, sipping from a glass of orange juice.

Damos shook his head. "I doubt it, although I'm not so sure. I think it would be best to release the Pokemon after we catch them since it's just for a contest.

The two twins were getting along better after spending more time together at camp. The main reason is because they found some common ground between them: their extreme dislike for Zack.

Zack had insulted their parents for being coordinators. He said that true Pokemon trainers used their Pokemon strictly for battling, and any other purpose for Pokemon was pointless. This had turned into a heated argument between the twins and Zack, and their other team member Liam later joined the twins' side. Liam became a friend of theirs from that point on.

"I hope they let us keep them. I could use a Water-type Pokemon on my team to help against Rock and Ground type Pokemon," Liam said. Beside him, his Cyndaquil ate Pokemon food quietly.

Alice nodded. "You're right! Fire-types like Cyndaquil and Chimchar are weak against Rock and Ground. Maybe I should catch a Water-type, too."

"Attention, all campers!" Alain Sycamore announced. Everyone turned their attention away from their food to the professor standing at the front. "Welcome to day two of Camp Sycamore! Today, it's going to be a battle of wits and patience...fishing! We have a Water-type specialist with us to help you all learn about Water-type Pokemon and how to successfully capture them. Everyone, please give a warm welcome to Misty, the Cerulean City Gym Leader! If you ever need help or have any questions during today's activity, she's the one to ask! Now, let's go fishing!"

– –

"This is boring," Brandon said, yawning as he sat on a rock, fishing rod in hand.

Unfortunately, no one could really disagree with him. For some reason the fish just weren't biting. Not a single camper had caught even a Magikarp. Misty was frantically trying to come up with a possible explanation, but nothing seemed to be adding up. The weather was great, the skies were clear, and the water couldn't be more calm.

Aaron sighed, trying to keep in good spirits. "Something'll turn up eventually. We just have to be patient."

Beside him, Alice rolled her eyes. "I'm tired of waiting. I was looking forward to catching a Water-type Pokemon today!"

Meredith seemed to be more cheerful. "Don't worry guys! I'm sure we'll be getting bites soon. After all, I have my good luck charm right here..." she said as she reached into her pocket. She froze. Her pocket was empty. She quickly pulled her hand out and covered her mouth. _Oh my god..._ she thought. _It's not there._

Aaron glanced over at her. "Everything alright, Mary?"

Meredith did her best to act natural. "Um, yeah, everything's just fine!" she returned her attention to her fishing rod.

Aaron raised an eyebrow, but didn't push the matter. _Something's not quite right. I'll ask her about it later,_ he thought.

Damos had practically fallen asleep when he suddenly felt a slight tug on his line. He quickly scrambled to his feet and held a firm grip on the fishing rod. "Guys! I think I have a bite!" he shouted excitedly.

A whole bunch of campers abandoned their rods and crowded around Damos, who was starting to slowly reel in his catch. Everyone waited to see what was coming out.

Damos finally pulled up his fishing rod, swinging his arms up and lifting the Pokemon out of the water. With a big splash, out jumped a weary-looking Magikarp, flopping around on the sand helplessly. Everyone sighed in disappointment.

"Who wants a weak Pokemon like that?"

"I've heard Magikarp can't even do any damage unless it's trained a lot!"

Phillip frowned sympathetically at the wild Magikarp. "Poor thing," he said.

Liam stepped forward. "Cyndaquil, come on out!" he yelled as he tossed a Pokeball into the air. In a flash of white light, the Fire Mouse Pokemon appeared, the flames on its back burning brightly.

A few campers pointed and laughed. Zack was laughing the hardest, his cruel smile representing the terrible person he was.

Liam turned to Damos. "Hey, this was your catch. You gonna let me battle it or what?" he asked.

Damos shrugged. "Go for it, dude. I've heard that Pokemon can't knock over a tower of toothpicks."

Liam smiled and adjusted his hat, moving his messy black hair out of the way. "Okay, Cyndaquil, use Tackle!" he commanded.

Cyndaquil slammed into the helpless Magikarp and sent it flying backward. Magikarp hit the ground hard, flopping slower now.

"Alright, go Pokeball!" Liam shouted, throwing a red-and-white capsule at Magikarp. After shaking three times, the Pokeball clicked and the capture was confirmed.

"Nice job, Cyndaquil! You rock, and you rule!" Liam said, giving his Pokemon a thumbs-up as he picked up his new capture.

Zack stepped up out of the crowd. "How pathetic. You're celebrating such an insignificant capture. What good do you think Magikarp will do you? I'll bet the only attack it knows is Splash. And you're not nearly experienced enough to evolve it. What a loser."

A few other campers nodded in agreement. Zack seemed to have his own little gang behind him.

"Shut up, Zack," Aaron said angrily. He wasn't liking Zack's attitude one bit.

From a distance, Ash, Alain, and the rest of the adults watched the children on the beach.

"Should we...intervene? I feel like as adults, that's the right thing to do," May asked, her hands clasped together worriedly.

Ash, Alain, and Dawn shook their heads, while Misty and Brock remained uncertain.

"Keep quiet, it's getting interesting," Ash said, chuckling.

Zack looked surprised, then just straight-up pissed off. He glared at Aaron as he said, "What did you say to me?"

Meredith clasped her hands together, worried that something bad was going to happen to Aaron.

Aaron laughed. "Who do you think you are? I'll bet you're one of the weakest trainers at this camp. How about a battle to put you in your place?"

Zack hesitated, knowing full well that Aaron was an exceptional trainer for their age. But he couldn't back down now. That would be cowardly.

"I accept. It would be my pleasure to utterly destroy your Pokemon," Zack said, pulling out a Pokeball. "Elekid, standby for battle, now!"

The Electric Pokemon appeared in a flash of white light, sparks buzzing between its horns. It looked like a mean, aggressive Pokemon.

Without a need for command, Charmander emerged from its Pokeball on its own, ready for battle immediately.

Liam stepped between Aaron and Zack. "I'll ref this match for you two. Here on my right, we have Aaron Ketchum from Pallet Town and his Charmander. On my left we have some loser with an electric buzzy thing. This will be a one-on-one battle...begin!"

Zack angrily ignored Liam's snide comments and faced the battlefield. "Elekid, use Quick Attack!"

Elekid broke into a sprint and charged Charmaner with impressive speed.

"Charmander, Scratch! Then use Ember!" Aaron commanded.

Charmander swiped Elekid aside with its claw, then released small flames that hit Elekid directly. Elekid flew backward, taking considerable damage.

Several campers cheered, including Liam, Alice, Damos, Brandon, Meredith, and even Phillip, who had been relatively quiet for the most part of camp so far.

"Elekid, Thunder Punch, now! Do not miss!" Zack shouted angrily.

Charmander was unable to dodge as Elekid powered up its fist with electricity and swung. Crying out, Charmander staggered backward, losing its footing from the impact. It knelt on the sand, seeming weakened a good deal.

"Hey Charmander! You alright?" Aaron asked, worried. _Maybe this guy is tougher than I thought._

Suddenly, Charmander began to glow bright white. It stood up, its body growing taller, its tail growing longer. After a few seconds, the light disappeared and Charmeleon stood confidently on the sand with a determined look on its face. Its skin was now red, and claws were longer, sharper. And the flame on its tail was burning brighter than ever.

"Whoa...," Liam said.

"So that's what evolution looks like..." Brandon said, staring.

Aaron's eyes gleamed with excitement and admiration. "Wow! You evolved, Charmeleon! That's awesome!"

Meredith took out her Pokedex. "Charmeleon, the Flame Pokemon. Charmeleon mercilessly destroys its foes using its sharp claws. If it encounters a strong foe, it turns aggressive. In this excited state, the flame at the tip of its tail flares with a bluish white color."

As if on cue, the flame on Charmeleon's tail began to glow a more blue color, with flashes of white within the flame. "Charrr!" it roared, its voice deeper and more hoarse. It was no longer the cute little Charmander Aaron had picked up at Professor Oak's lab.

Zack grunted. "No big deal. It's just an evolution. It happens all the time. It's still a weak Pokemon the way I see it."

"Charmeleon, use Ember!" Aaron commanded, ready to test his Pokemon's newfound power.

Charmeleon opened its mouth and released a huge flame towards Elekid, bursting upon impact. Elekid flew backward, and bits of fire flew in all directions.

Phillip adjusted his glasses. "If I'm not mistaken, that's not Ember, that's the move Flame Burst. One of the side effects of Flame Burst is that nearby Pokemon may be hit by small flames due to the explosion Flame Burst causes upon impact."

Alice turned to face him. "You sure know a lot about Pokemon, Phillip," she said, smiling kindly.

"Elekid, get up now! You are not losing this battle!" Zack shouted, gritting his teeth. His hands were clenched into fists, and beads of sweat were falling down his forehead.

Aaron adjusted his hat. "Okay Charmeleon, let's use-"

Charmeleon didn't wait for Aaron's command. Instead, it instantly released a Dragon Rage attack and proceeded to sprint towards Elekid. Dragon Rage hit Elekid directly, and then Charmeleon used Scratch and knocked Elekid to the ground.

On the sidelines, Ash shook his head. He knew exactly what was going on, and the situation was all too familiar.

"Elekid is unable to battle. Charmeleon wins!" Liam announced, standing beside a fainted Elekid.

Zack recalled Elekid without saying a word to it. "Useless. Just pathetic," he mumbled as he and his gang walked away.

Aaron was a little surprised that Charmander attacked on its own, but he didn't care at that moment. He had just really wanted to win that battle.

"Alright, Charmeleon! You were awesome!" he cheered, petting his Pokemon on the head. Charmeleon smiled and warmly accepted his trainer's affection.

"You were awesome, too, Aaron," Meredith said, blushing a little. Alice and Damos nodded in agreement. "I hope Chimchar can maybe learn a thing or two from your Charmeleon," Alice said.

Brandon and Phillip stepped up. "Nice job, Aaron. I knew you could beat that jerk," Brandon said.

Liam put a hand on Aaron's shoulder. "That was some pretty sweet battling, Aaron. Can I talk to you for a sec?" he asked.

Aaron smiled and nodded. "Sure. But make it quick, I think we're eating lunch soon," he said, walking away with Liam.

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Where do you think they're going?" she asked to no one in particular.

Damos shrugged. "Eh. Who cares? Let's go eat!"

Meredith watched Aaron walk away, curious to know what he and Liam were up to.

Phillip adjusted his glasses. He saw Liam point out towards the water, in the distance. Aaron was nodding as Liam seemed to be explaining something. _It looks as if they're formulating a plan of some sort,_ Phillip thought. _But for what?_

He looked out into the distance, trying to see what Liam was pointing at. It took him a while, but he could make out the faint outline of a boat. A very large boat.

"So that's the plan. Got it? I know you and I can pull it off. The Magikarp isn't that weak, and it'll take at least a few hours of non-stop training. You in?" Liam asked Aaron.

Aaron nodded, although he seemed slightly skeptical. "But are you sure we'll be able to pull it off so soon? You literally just caught it..."

Liam smiled. A mischievous but good-natured smile. "Don't worry. I've got it all figured out. Just leave it to me," he said confidently.

The campers broke for lunch at the dining hall. Everyone talked about the great battle between Aaron and Zack during the meal. Pretty soon, Aaron was the most popular kid in the camp.

"I can't wait for Turtwig to evolve! Man, that's gonna be so awesome!" Brandon said between bites.

Alice smiled at his enthusiasm. "I hope my Chimchar evolves soon, too. But neither of us have really battled a lot yet...maybe we should train together, Brandon," she said.

Brandon nodded. "Sounds good to me!" he said cheerfully.

As she was eating, Meredith noticed some girls looking at Aaron. And not just looking at him, either. Like, _looking_ at him. She frowned and tried to make it clear with her body language that Aaron was hers. Even though he wasn't really officially hers...yet.

She turned to face Aaron and put a hand on his arm. "Hey, Aaron, maybe we could do some training, too? I was hoping you would have another battle with me and Mudkip," she asked hopefully.

Aaron smiled guiltily. "Sorry, but I've got some special training to do with Liam after we eat. But tomorrow morning I'll be ready for our usual morning training. Sound good?" he asked.

Meredith tried to hide her disappointment. "Oh...okay...yeah I understand." She continued eating, not saying much for the rest of the meal. _Special training...I get the feeling there's something else going on..._

Lunch was over and the campers were slowly making their way back out to the beach for more fishing time. No one was excited about it, though.

Aaron and Liam broke away from the group. "Alright, let's go," Liam said as he started running, with Aaron following.

Alice, Meredith, and Brandon both frowned. They all looked at each other, coming to a general consensus without having to speak a word.

They followed the two boys into the woods.


	7. Chapter 7: Surprises

Sorry I haven't been able to update in a while, I was on vacation. Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Surprises

~ Cinnibar Island ~

"I'm going after him," Jessie said to her husband.

James sighed and shook his head, expecting this was going to happen. He knew Jessie could be relentless at times, and in hindsight he came to realize that he used to be the same way. Back in the Team Rocket days...

"I really don't think that's a good idea, Jess. I'm sure he'll turn up eve-" James started.

"Why would he come back? Let's face it...he has no life here..." Jessie said as she stared at the floor, her eyes beginning to well up with tears of regret.

James remained silent. For so long they had kept Jason at home, isolated from the outside world completely. _How is he going to survive out there?_ He wondered. _The only knowledge and common sense he has acquired is from the books he reads..._

– –

~ Camp Sycamore ~

Aaron's jaw dropped when Liam opened up his bag.

Dozens of Rare Candies – yes, dozens – littered the floor as Liam shook them out of his small green backpack. Aaron couldn't believe his eyes. Liam smiled triumphantly and stood proudly over the pile of candy.

"Pretty neat, huh? You wouldn't believe how long it took me to collect these," Liam said.

Aaron turned to face him with a skeptical expression. "Collect? C'mon, man. You're not fooling me. Who gave you these? This must have cost them a fortune!" he exclaimed as he knelt down and picked one up, examining it to make sure it was really real.

Liam laughed a little. "Well...they weren't exactly given to me..." he said, scratching the back of his head. _I forgot I was going to have to confess about this..._ he thought, mentally kicking himself.

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "What? So you stole them?" he accused, standing up.

"Well, er, not really, I just sort of found them on the side of the road. In a large brown sack. Literally, they were just sitting there underneath a tree. I ditched my spare clothes so I could fit them all in my bag," Liam said.

"This isn't right. These belong to someone!" Aaron said, starting to raise his voice.

Liam shrugged nonchalantly. "If the owner truly cared about them, he or she would've at least kept them in their sight. C'mon, dude, this is part of the plan! With these, we don't have to waste our time training Magikarp...we can just rush it to evolution! Then we can finally check out that mysterious boat out there," he said, taking out Magikarp's Pokeball.

Aaron frowned, but couldn't come up with a solid counter-argument. "I guess you've got a point...but still, it's weird that someone would just leave thousands of dollars worth of candy laying on the side of the road like that. Something must've been wrong..."

"What must've been wrong, Aaron?" a girl's voice asked from behind them.

Before he even turned around, Aaron immediately recognized that voice. "Look, Meredith, this isn't really the best of times..." he said guiltily as he turned to face her. She stood there with Brandon and Alice by her side, and each of them had their arms crossed.

"What are you guys up to, anyway?" Brandon questioned, looking around the area. And then he saw them.

"Yeah, why did you two leave like -" Alice started, and then she saw them.

Meredith saw them, too. Her jaw dropped and she stared in amazement.

Liam nodded. "Yeah..." was all he said. And that was all that needed to be said at that moment.

– –

"Hey, Misty," Ash said, walking up to his old traveling companion.

Misty turned and smiled at him. "What is it, Ash?" she asked.

Ash looked around the beach. "Have you seen my kid anywhere? Serena and I can't seem to find him. May's been looking for Meredith, too. One of Dawn's kids is also missing. It's like they've disappeared."

– –

Dawn and May walked to the edge of the water, where they could smell the salty sea breeze of the ocean.

"Where could they be? It's not like Alice to run off like this," Dawn said worriedly.

May nodded, her hands clasped together. "Meredith is always so well-behaved...I wonder what she's up to?"

They glanced out into the distance, where the mysterious boat was still floating in that same spot. Everyone had begun talking about it, and there were rumors going around of what it could possibly be.

"I sure hope that's not...nevermind," May said, shaking her head. _There's no way..._ she thought.

Dawn turned to her. "What? What do you think?" she asked.

May turned to face Dawn with a grim expression. "Surely...that boat isn't where our kids are trying to go? I know Ash was headstrong when we were kids, but his son can't possibly be _more_ reckless, can he?"

– –

"That's nine! My guess is that after maybe six or seven more, Magikarp will evolve. And then we can all ride out to that boat and see what it's all about!" Liam said proudly as he fed the Rare Candies to his Magikarp.

Brandon was frowning the whole time. "I'm not sure if this is right..." he said, looking away.

Aaron nodded. "Yeah, Liam, maybe we should stop. I just get the feeling that this isn't how you're supposed to raise your Pokemon," he said.

Alice shrugged. "I don't know, I think this will be kinda cool. I've never seen a Gyarados up close before," she said, although in her mind she had that nagging feeling that this wasn't quite...ethical.

Liam rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed at everyone's pessimism. "Come ON, guys! What is wrong with you all? This is my Magikarp, so I can evolve it the way I want to! If you don't want to come along, then don't. I was only going to let Aaron go because he's probably stronger than I am, but I'll let you all come too if you'd just stop whining," he said, exasperated. He fed Magikarp a fifteenth candy.

Suddenly, Magikarp's body began to glow bright white.

– –

Alain and Mairin had been searching the entire building for Aaron and the rest of the kids. Brock had been searching the nearby routes, but no one had had any luck.

Ash stared out at the boat in the distance. He had only suspected it before, but now he was really beginning to think that his son was trying to find a way to the boat. He turned to face Misty. They were joined by May and Dawn.

"I know where they are," Ash said.

And then everyone heard the booming cry of an enraged sea serpent.

– –

"You know, maybe this was a pretty awesome idea after all!" Brandon said, staring up towards the huge Atrocious Pokemon.

Everyone nodded in agreement and admired Liam's Gyarados. Alice felt slightly unsettled at the sight of it, considering that just moments before it had only been a tiny orange fish. Gyarados roared again, its voice scattering several Fletchling and Pidgey from the trees nearby.

"Wow..." Meredith said, stepping closer to Aaron. "It's kind of scary, actually," she said, holding Aaron's arm.

Liam felt slightly guilty in hindsight. _Was this really right?_ He wondered. _Can I be proud of this Pokemon?_ He turned to face Aaron and said, "So...what are we gonna do?" he asked. "You guys aren't gonna rat me out, are you?" he asked.

Aaron smiled and put a hand on Liam's shoulder. "What are you talking about? This is awesome! Let's hit the water before the adults find out!" he said, a determined and adventurous look on his face.

– –

Campers all over the beach were unsure of what to do at that moment after hearing the roaring.

Jason and Phillip, who had recently become acquainted with one another, looked around nervously. "What do you think is going on?" Phillip asked, his voice starting to get shaky.

Misty frowned and turned to the adults, who had all gathered on the beach to decide what to do. "That's a Gyarados," she said, her voice completely confident. Her hand instinctively went to her own Gyarados' Pokeball.

Brock nodded and remained silent, as did the Professor and his wife.

Ash still stared out at the water. _What could possibly be going on?_ He wondered. Serena gripped his arm, worried for her only child.

Dawn was beginning to panic, along with May and several campers. "What could possibly be going on?" she frantically shouted.

Aaron Ketchum had an answer for her.

Everyone gasped as they watched a huge Gyarados slowly make its way out towards the boat in the distance. On its back were Aaron, Meredith, Alice, Brandon, and Liam.

Aaron waved at them and shouted, "Hey, everyone! Check it out! Dad! Isn't this awesome?"

Meredith waved to her mother. "Hi, Mom!" she said, smiling radiantly, her brown hair blowing in the wind.

Alice laughed and shouted to Dawn, "Hey, Mom! No need to worry!"

Serena stared in shock at what was happening. She couldn't believe that her Aaron was riding on the back of a humongous sea serpent; and that he had snuck away to do so!

May and Dawn were both about to angrily shout back at their daughters when Ash stopped them.

"May, Dawn, calm down. Just stop and think for a minute. Think about what we did when we were their age. May, you and I both risked our lives to help save Manaphy and the Temple of the Sea. Remember that? Not to mention Deoxys, and Jirachi, too!" Ash said.

May stopped and looked down. "I guess we did do some crazy things way back then..." she admitted.

"Dawn," Ash said. "Remember Alamos Town? You almost fell to your death before I saved you from falling off the balloon. We were amongst a great battle between Dialga, Palkia, and Darkrai, and you're getting worked up about Alice riding some waves! Like she just said, there's no need to worry," he said.

Dawn was about to protest, but words failed her. She couldn't think of anything to say because Ash was so...right.

"And Serena," Ash turned to his wife and wrapped his arms around her. "You and I...have been through the most together. You know best of all how adventurous I was when I was Aaron's age! Let him have a little fun and explore! The world is waiting for our son."

Brock smiled as he watched Ash speak. _He really has grown up. It's weird...seeing him like this...everyone thought he was just going to stay that same, Pokemon-crazed kid._

Alain nodded and smiled. "True words of wisdom, old friend. It's obvious that Aaron will grow up to be a trainer as exceptional as yourself," he said.

Misty looked out at the water. Liam's Gyarados was getting closer and closer to the huge boat, which still hadn't moved a bit. "That was very sweet, Ash...but the question still remains..."

Ash nodded. "Who's on that boat?"

– – – –

End of the chapter. I'll admit it; I rushed it. I just wanted to get something out there for you all 'cause I feel bad about updating so slowly. Anyways, thanks for reading and I hope you still like the story. If you want this to be continued, leave a review for me, I would really appreciate it.


	8. Chapter 8: Team Flare

What's up guys, sorry I haven't been updating quite as frequently as some of you would like. I've had soccer tryouts last week and after making my school's varsity team I've had practice all of this week, so it's very difficult for me to find time to write within the last few days of my summer. Anyways, enjoy the chapter, sorry it's shorter than usual. As always, leave a review if you have any thoughts you want to share with me; always appreciated.

Chapter 8: Team Flare

~ Camp Sycamore ~

Along with the rest of the kids, Jason watched the camp's five bravest campers sailing straight towards adventure and mystery. He wasn't bitterly envious; he was just a little jealous of Aaron Ketchum. How could he not be? Aaron had it all. He was a novice trainer who had already earned a gym badge, evolved his first Pokemon, and he even had a girlfriend. Well, sort of. It hadn't been made official, but everyone in the camp pretty much knew Aaron and Meredith were made for each other. That still didn't stop other girls from chasing him, though.

Damos felt disheartened as he watched his sister and her friends on the ocean water. He had never been good at making friends; in fact, he had never been good at anything really. Alice was much more gregarious, and just more talented in general. She would probably grow up to be a great trainer if she kept at it, which she definitely would.

– –

"Attention ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Liam speaking. We will be arriving at our destination in just a minute," Liam announced, using an imaginary microphone.

"All right!" Aaron exclaimed, clearly the most excited out of them all. "Charmeleon, come on out!" he said as he tossed a Pokeball into the air. Charmeleon appeared in a bright flash of white light.

Gyarados was about to reach the boat when suddenly Alice noticed a huge net closing in on them from above.

"Guys! We've got a problem!" she shouted, pointing upwards.

Liam and Meredith both gasped as the net began closing in on them. Luckily, Aaron and Brandon were quick to react.

"Charmeleon, use Scratch, now!" Aaron shouted.

Brandon threw out Turtwig's Pokeball and shouted, "Turtwig, use Razor Leaf and cut up that net!"

Charmeleon and Turtwig made short work of the strange net, and soon several pieces of wire were raining down upon them. Aaron looked up at the boat angrily.

"Hey, what's your problem?!" he shouted, his hands gripped into fists. Charmeleon stood next to him, the flame on its tail burning with fiery rage.

– –

"Something is wrong," Ash said grimly. No one could really quite make out what was happening because they were just too far away, but Ash knew that something wasn't right.

Misty squinted her eyes to try to get a clearer view. "It looks like Gyarados has stopped," she said.

– –

"Just who do you think you are?" Alice shouted up towards the three strangely dressed men standing on the deck of the boat. Each had meticulously styled, red-colored hair, and bright red clothes to match. And their sunglasses...they were red, too.

"An ignorant question, indeed. How could you not recognize our unfathomably stylish fashion sense?" the Team Flare member retorted.

Aaron gripped his hands into fists. These people were already starting to piss him off. "What was that net for? We didn't do anything to you!" he angrily shouted.

Brandon stood by him, equally as angry. "Yeah, we could've been seriously injured if we hadn't taken care of your stupid net!"

Meredith watched the scene nervously. She wanted to say something, but had a bad feeling about the men on the boat. They did not seem like the type of people who would travel in a trio...there were sure to be more of them.

Liam grabbed a Pokeball from his belt. "Cyndaquil, let's teach 'em a lesson! Gyarados, bring us up to the deck!" he commanded.

Gyarados extended its long body upward until its head barely touched the railing of the deck. The five young trainers all quickly climbed up the sea serpent's neck and stood face-to-face with the three men.

Only there weren't three of them anymore.

"Outnumbered! Tsk, tsk...children are so impetuous these days. It's because you have no supervision...that's the issue with the world these days," one of the men said.

Aaron turned to his friends. "I counted about 20 of them. If we work together, I think we can beat all of them. Piece of cake. Right? Who's with me?" he asked. _Man...now I regret not catching any other Pokemon..._ he thought.

All four trainers responded confidently, their smiles radiating energy and motivation.

Five grunts stepped up, each with a Pokeball in their hand. After flashes of white light, five Houndour appeared before them, growling menacingly.

Brandon hesitated. "Fire-types..."

Aaron put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you're fine. We'll cover for you. Turtwig can still help out! Type disadvantages don't render him useless, you know," he said reassuringly. Brandon nodded in response.

Liam nodded. "I guess it's time to fight fire with fire," he said as he turned to Cyndaquil. "You ready, buddy?"

"There's no way I'm going to let a bunch of weird-looking hipsters beat us! We don't even know what they're up to though..." Alice said, wondering what these thugs could be doing out at sea so close to the camp.

Liam shrugged. "Act first, think later. Right, Cyndaquil? Go, use Flame Wheel!" he commanded.

Cyndaquil began rolling into a wheel, it's body covered in flames, and spun towards an enemy Houndour. It slammed into it full force, knocking the Houndour back.

Meredith made sure to get in on the action, too. "Mudkip, I need you!" she shouted, tossing Mudkip's Pokeball into the air. "Use Water Gun!"

"Charmeleon, use-" Aaron started, but Charmeleon had other plans. It immediately leapt into the air and released a Dragon Rage attack against a Houndour.

"Turtwig, use Razor Leaf!" Brandon shouted. Turtwig did its best to avoid hitting its teammates as it released a series of sharp leaves towards the group of Houndour.

"Chimchar, come on out and use Ember!" Alice cried out as her starter Pokemon emerged from its Pokeball and shot out small flames from its mouth.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, five blue shurikens flew towards the Houndour at an incredible pace, each one hitting a target. The five Houndour all collapsed, unprepared for such a devastating attack.

Everyone looked up to see Ash flying in on the back of his Charizard. Seconds later, Greninja's body flickered into view as he stood on the deck, satisfied with his Penta Kill.

"Dad!" Aaron shouted, running up to his father's Charizard.

The rest of the kids followed Aaron and they all crowded around Charizard and Greninja, admiring the powerful Pokemon. Ash did not look happy at all as he stared down one of the Team Flare Admins on the deck.

"So you're back, then? I didn't teach you a good enough lesson the first time?" Ash shouted as he stepped off of Charizard's back, walking towards the Admin. He brought out another Pokeball and pressed the button.

Within a matter of seconds, Sceptile was behind the Admin, who now had two Leaf Blades barely grazing the skin on his neck.

More men in red suits appeared on deck, and they all looked as if they wanted to act, but were fearful of what might happen to their Admin.

 _Two, four, six..._ Alice counted the number of grunts in her head. _Twenty-eight, thirty. Thirty of them, plus the Admin that makes thirty-one._

Despite being on the brink of excruciating pain, the Admin remained relatively calm. He laughed as he said, "Yeah, we're back. And looks like someone got all grown up, didn't they?"

A few of the grunts chuckled in the crowd.

Ash gripped his hands into fists and tried to restrain himself from punching him. He remembered all the pain this organization had caused, the fear, the agony; the world had been lucky that Ash and Alain had been there to stop them back then.

But now, they were back. And he wasn't going to let things escalate this time.

"Do you mind calling off your stupid green gecko thing here? It's getting rather bothersome," the Admin said in a smart-ass tone.

Ash looked him in the eye. "That green gecko is one of my trusted Pokemon partners, and at any second I could tell it to cross its arms and end your life," he said. His voice was angry, but somewhat quiet.

To everyone's surprise, the Admin just laughed again. "You think you have all the bargaining power right now, don't you?" he said arrogantly. Then he shouted, "Have all submarines surface and advance, now!"

Ash's eyes widened and he took a step back. "Wh-what?" He ran to the side of the boat, where his son and the rest of the kids were already watching four submarines ascend from underneath the water and slowly make their way towards the beach.

– –

"I hope everything is okay," Serena said, her hands clasped together worriedly. Although she knew Ash was strong, no one knew who was on the boat.

May put a hand on Serena's shoulder. "Don't be so worried, Serena. Your son is strong. And I'm sure he's using his strength to protect my daughter and the rest of the children," she said.

Serena wiped a tear from her eye. "You're right..."

Dawn fidgeted nervously next to them. "Something is wrong...something is definitely wrong," she said anxiously.

"What are those, dear?" Mairin asked her husband, pointing out at the four objects in the water.

Alain frowned as he tried to get a closer look. "They're submarines," he said as he turned to the campers, who were all watching in awe. "Everyone get inside the main building. Hurry, before things get dangerous."

With a few groans and complaints, all of the kids started making their way into the building.

In a bush nearby a cabin, a pair of eyes watched the children evacuate the beach.

– –

"C'mon, everyone, we need to get off this boat now!" Ash shouted. "Noivern, come out!"

In a flash of white light, Noivern appeared with its huge wings spread wide in an intimidating fashion.

Ash mounted Charizard's back again, helping up Brandon, Liam, and Alice. Then he turned to his son and nodded. "You know how to fly Noivern, right Aaron?"

Aaron nodded confidently. "Of course! C'mon, Noivern, let's go!" he shouted as he and Meredith climbed onto the Sound Wave Pokemon. Mudkip hopped onto Meredith's shoulder and they were ready to hit the air.

"Don't let them escape!" the Admin shouted, but he didn't look distressed. He was laughing.

Several grunts threw out their Houndour and Electrike, commanding them to attack. Numerous Ember and Thundershock attacks sped towards Charizard and Noivern.

To everyone's surprise, Mudkip blocked the attacks with Mud Sport, a move Meredith hadn't even known about before.

"Nice job!" Aaron said with a smile. Meredith smiled and hugged her Mudkip. "That was awesome!" she said, lavishing it with praise.

As Charizard and Noivern flew away back towards the beach, they could still hear the Admin laughing on deck.

– –

"Misty, could you please go around and take a head count? We should have twenty-five kids here right now," Alain said.

"Sure, no problem," Misty said, walking around the room counting by two's.

Serena looked out the window, watching for any signs of her husband and son. Her eyes lit up when she saw Charizard and Noivern soaring through the air towards them, carrying everyone on their backs.

Brock stared out at the submarines approaching the beach. They were just about a few meters away from the shore.

"Twenty, twenty-one, hey, you three! Stop running around! Sit still while I count all of you," Misty shouted as she continued counting. "Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four. Wait...twenty-four? That can't be right!"

She desperately looked around all over the room for two more kids, but they were nowhere to be seen.

– –

A young, fourteen-year-old girl with bright orange hair had a satisfied smile on her face as she stood inside one of the submarines. She was the new leader of Team Flare, striving to restore the organization to its former glory; the prestige in which the organization once reveled.

Her name was Lyneth, and she had a legacy to reclaim.

"How long until we reach the shore?" she asked one of her Admins calmly.

"About two minutes, boss. Preparing to deploy all units upon arrival," the Admin answered.

"Excellent. Thank you for your hard work!" she said cheerfully. Judging by her general demeanor, you would have never guessed that she was the leader of an evil group of Pokemon thieves.

– – – –

What is Team Flare up to? How did a girl as young as Lyneth reach the highest rank within the Team Flare organization? Is she really that evil? Stay tuned for her backstory! Thanks for reading, everyone.

Again, I apologize for the brevity of this chapter.


	9. Chapter 9: Invasion

Hey everyone, just wanted to quickly upload the second-to-last chapter of this story. Enjoy!

Chapter 9: Invasion

Lysandre and Malva both believed that the world needed to be more beautiful, and so they became the leaders of Team Flare. Their desires and ideals eventually drew them together romantically, and they decided to have a child. They were very proud of the name they had chosen for their daughter, Lyneth, for it meant: "little beauty".

As a young girl, Lyneth quickly became quite skilled at Pokemon battling. She was able to defeat the Grunts of Team Flare, and even bested one of the organization's most acclaimed Admins. At age ten, she was already capable of using Mega Evolution.

Her father's passing was not something she took well. She shut herself away from her mother, who was also extremely depressed. Eventually, Malva left her daughter out of frustration after trying countless times to speak with her. Lyneth didn't take this well, either.

Lyneth didn't know what her purpose was in this world...all she knew was that as long as she had her Pokemon with her, she was strong. Very, very strong...

– –

~ Camp Sycamore ~

Charizard and Noivern landed just outside the main building, letting off their passengers. Ash and Aaron were the first ones inside, turning to Alain for guidance.

However, it was Alain who ended up turning to Ash for help.

"Alain...those submarines are with Team Flare. They're back, and they seem stronger now. I don't know what they're after, but I know that this camp isn't safe with them around. We need to act, now!" Ash said, his voice naturally commanding the attention of everyone in the room.

Alain put his head in his hands. "I've failed my father's camp, Ash. I've failed it...we've lost two kids and we have no idea where they are."

Misty and Brock both nodded. "We've checked all over the building...they must be outside somewhere, but how can we even know where to start looking?" Misty asked, her eyes full of worry.

Aaron and Meredith went around the room, looking for everyone they knew. They circled around and met up with each other back where they started, each one bearing bad news.

"I can't find Phillip," Meredith said.

Aaron looked out the window at the beach. "And I can't find Jason."

– –

"Why are we following this Pokemon, Jason?" Phillip asked quietly. He didn't want to disturb any potential inhabitants of the vast forest they were currently venturing through.

Jason kept his eye on the Fletchling flying ahead. "Because it needs our help. And we can't just turn our backs on it," he said, not looking back.

Phillip nodded understandingly. "But shouldn't we h-have at least told the professor?" he asked.

Jason shook his head. "Nah. He's already got enough to handle, what with those submarines and stuff. I'm sure they won't even know we're gone. Now, c'mon, let's hurry up, will ya?"

Phillip was breathing heavily, fatigued from the physical exercise. "S-Sorry, Jason. Running isn't quite my thing..."

– –

"Miss, we've reached the shore. Opening the doors now."

"Good! This will be fun. Now, tell them that I don't want any of them coming back empty-handed, because I know for a fact that it's here. No doubt about it," Lyneth said calmly. _Everything is running smoothly,_ she thought.

The Admin she was speaking to nodded and began talking into the megaphone.

– –

"Are...are we there yet J-Jason?" Phillip asked, exhausted. In terms of athletic ability, he definitely took after his father.

"C'mon, man, why can't you just – whoa..." Jason stopped in his tracks.

Relieved, Phillip stopped walking and asked about what he saw.

"You gotta see this, Phil," Jason said, pointing at a Pokemon in the middle of a clearing. Phillip curiously stumbled up to where Jason was and followed his gaze.

A stag-like Pokemon with shiny blue skin and four-horned antlers was laying on its side in the center of the clearing, amongst many other worried-looking Pokemon.

Phillip adjusted his glasses. "Can that be...?"

– –

"Don't worry, Alain. We'll find them," Ash said as reassuringly as possible. To be completely honest, Ash was a little annoyed with Alain for being so...weak. This was not the Alain he had fought alongside with against Team Flare all those years ago.

"Um, guys? There are people on the beach. A lot of people..." Dawn said, pointing at the numerous Team Flare Grunts marching on the shore. It seemed that they were headed for the forest.

"I'll stop them," Aaron said, pulling out Charmeleon's Pokeball. His voice exuded so much confidence that the others in the room could almost tangibly feel it.

Serena placed a hand on her son's arm. "Aaron, sweetie, I don't think that's a good idea. There are a lot of them, and I know you're strong but honey, there's only one of you, and-"

She stopped speaking when Ash put his hands on her shoulders. "Serena, don't worry. He won't be alone. I'll be out there fighting with him, and I'd hope we could get some more brave souls to volunteer to go with us," he said, looking around the room at all the people and Pokemon.

Alain shook his head. "Ash, I don't know if that's such a good idea. I'm responsible for the safety of these kids, and to send them out fighting just isn't...well, safe," he said, looking down at the wooden floor.

Meredith stepped up next to Aaron. "Well, I'm going with them," she said, trying her best to sound brave.

Brandon and Liam each held a Pokeball in their hand as they stepped up, too. "I'm going, too," Brandon said.

Liam nodded. "Cyndaquil and I are fighting, too," he said.

Some of the other campers raised their hands and volunteered to go as well. It is likely that seeing Aaron step up to the plate like that inspired them to not only have courage, but to act on it as well.

Alice turned to her brother. "Well I'm going, too. Damos, you with me?" she asked.

Damos looked down and shook his head. "I-I'm not much of a battler, Alice. I think I'll sit this one out."

Alice shook her head. "I'm disappointed in you, you know. You have no sense of adventure," she said, turning away and standing next to Meredith.

Dawn frowned. "Now, Alice, don't be saying things like tha-"

Ash interrupted her. "Dawn, we have to get going. Save your lecture for later. C'mon, everyone, let's go!" he shouted as he opened the front doors. Those that volunteered to help defend the camp followed him.

– –

"There's no question about it. That's Xerneas, the Life Pokemon!" Phillip said, adjusting his glasses multiple times to ensure that he wasn't just seeing things.

"Wow," Jason said. "Wynaut, check it out!" he said as he tossed Wynaut's Pokeball into the air.

Xerneas looked up weakly at the two young trainers, then rested its head back down. It looked utterly exhausted, and Jason got the feeling that it was injured.

"Hey, something's wrong," Jason said as he slowly walked up to the Legendary Pokemon. The crowd of Pokemon around Xerneas parted for Jason to get through, looking up at him hopefully as if expecting him to perform some kind of miracle.

Phillip followed, though more cautiously. He was generally not the adventurous type, but lately he had been learning a thing or two from Aaron, who was definitely more spirited and lively.

"What is it, Jason?" Phillip asked.

Jason looked up at him, his brow furrowed with a look of concern. "This Pokemon needs help."

– –

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

"Houndoom, use Flamethrower!"

"Dodge that Poison Sting and use Flame Wheel, Cyndaquil!"

"Get up, Elekid! Get up, now!"

The battling had pretty much begun as soon as Ash and the campers had stood in the way of Team Flare. Brock had initially tried to take a more diplomatic approach to the situation, but Ash's anger had driven him to the most aggressive approach possible.

"Charmeleon, c'mon! Listen to what I tell you!" Aaron shouted, frustrated with his Pokemon's lack of cooperation. Charmeleon just used whatever move it wanted, whenever it wanted, with no regard to Aaron's commands at all.

Lyneth smiled cutely at Aaron, winking at him as she said, "Looks like someone's having trouble with their Pokemon!"

Aaron blushed at Lyneth's flirtatious tone of voice. "Y-you're wrong! I've got everything under control!" he said, for once sounding completely unsure of himself.

Lyneth laughed, a surprisingly lighthearted sound that made Aaron feel warm and fuzzy inside. He didn't know why...was he attracted to her somehow?

Beside him, Meredith glanced over at him and noticed that he was blushing. _Why is he...?_

She decided to ignore it for now and focus on the battle at hand. Mudkip was having a relatively easy time with the multiple Houndour and occasional Houndoom it had to battle, but now she was facing an Electrike.

"Why are you even here?" Ash demanded. "This is a summer camp for kids! Do you realize what you're doing right now?"

Lyneth just smiled and said, "It's a secret! But I'll give you a hint: we're hunting down a Pokemon!"

Hands gripped into fists, Aaron tried to ignore Lyneth's good looks and angrily shouted, "That's just wrong! People like you are just so evil, it's unbelievable!"

Lyneth held the back of her hand against her forehead as if she were about to faint. "Oh, that hurts, sweetie, that really hurts...how can such devastating words come from such a handsome young man?" she said with another wink at Aaron.

Aaron took a step back, his face turning a bright shade of red. "Uh, um, what?" he stuttured, words failing him.

Now Meredith's hands were gripped into fists. _How dare that rotten, stuck-up red-head say something like that to Aaron!_ She thought. Then she looked down, thinking, _Even if she_ is _beautiful..._

Suddenly, a loud deafening roar echoed through the air that caught everyone's attention. Ash looked up, along with Aaron, Meredith, and just about every single person and Pokemon on the beach.

A Charizard in its Mega Evolved form soared above them as it blasted blue fire out of its mouth as a way to make an intimidating entrance. On its back was Alain Sycamore, with a look of determination on his face. The look that Ash had seen back when they first fought Team Flare. The look of the man that Ash had come to respect.

Lyneth smiled as her Houndoom stood before Aaron's Charmeleon. "Okay, Houndoom, it's time to show them our true power!" she said, raising her wrist. "Mega Evolve!" she shouted, touching two fingers to the mega ring on her left hand.

For the first time ever, Charmeleon took a hesitant step backward. It had never heard a Pokemon roar as fiercely as the opposing Mega Houndoom.

– –

Jason and Phillip heard a faint roar in the distance. They stood up and wondered what could possibly be going on back at the camp.

Xerneas stood up as well, only it faced the opposite direction and began to walk. It limped as it slowly made its way towards the other side of the clearing, away from the camp. Jason quickly turned to Phillip.

"Look, Xerneas is leaving! It must be scared or something..." Jason said.

Xerneas was moving faster now, almost breaking into a run as Jason and Phillip started running after it.

Phillip was already tiring as he said, "Jason, there's no way we can keep up with this Pokemon, no matter how injured it is! We can't keep running after it, we'd just exhaust ourselves and potentially get lost."

Jason shook his head. "We've gotta try, at the very least! Xerneas needs out help. It's so...alone..." he said. _I can relate..._ he thought.

Xerneas suddenly broke into a sprint, increasing the gap between it and the two trainers desperately trying to keep up with it.

Jason's heart sank as he kept running. "Man, there's no way we can follow it...maybe you were right..."

To his surprise, Phillip just smiled and adjusted his glasses. "Hmm...the future is now, thanks to science! Technology, lend me your gracious hand!" he said as he pulled out a small, round device out of his pocket. It looked kind of like a poker chip.

Phillip tossed it to Jason. "Here! Throw it at Xerneas! You've probably got a better arm than I do," he said.

Jason caught the device and chucked it towards Xerneas as quickly as he could. It flew through the air and just barely managed to latch onto Xerneas' back, catching it just before it sped away at a lightning-quick pace. The two trainers stopped running, breathing heavily from fatigue.

"So...what was that, exactly?" Jason asked.

Phillip smiled. "A tracking device. I have one on Helioptile, in case we somehow get separated. That one was just a spare prototype, though...I'm not entirely sure if it will work one-hundred percent yet," he said as he pulled out a small device with a screen. He toyed around with it, pressing buttons and sliding his fingers across the screen. His eyes lit up as he said, "Looks like its working!"

"All right! Let's follow it, then," Jason said.

Phillip stopped him. "Hang on just a minute. Shouldn't we go back and tell them what's up before we leave? We could use the help, and the adults should know where we are."

Jason shook his head. "Nah. No time. You said that was just a prototype tracking device, right? We never know when it could bust out on us, so we better move as quickly as possible! C'mon!" he said, motioning for Phillip to come with him as he turned and ran.

Phillip sighed. "Well, okay, but remember running isn't my cup of tea!" he shouted as he sprinted after him.

– –

"Charmeleon, get up! I know you can do it!" Aaron shouted. He had just helplessly watched Charmeleon get struck by a powerful Dark Pulse attack from Lyneth's Mega Houndoom.

His father was busy fighting three Admins at once. Greninja and Charizard seemed to be holding their own, but Sceptile had taken too much accumulative damage from being targeted by several Houndour, Houndoom, and other Fire-type Pokemon.

Alain and his Charizard were fighting off hordes of Grunts, along with the help of Meredith and the rest of Aaron's friends. Many of the other campers were out of Pokemon; Team Flare had proven to be quite strong.

So that left just him and Lyneth, the leader of Team Flare. Unfortunately for Aaron, her feminine charisma was influencing him more than he would have wanted it too, and it was definitely affecting his battling.

Just when Aaron was about to recall Charmeleon and give up, his Pokemon stood up. Slowly, very slowly, it managed to get back up on its two feet. The flame on its tail, which had been quite feeble just moments earlier, was now burning brighter than it ever had. Charmeleon roared angrily and breathed a Flamethrower attack into the air between itself and Lyneth's Houndoom.

And then, its body began to glow bright white.


	10. Chapter 10: Parting Ways

Hey guys, here's the last chapter. I haven't had too much homework lately so I've been cramming in as much writing as I could before school really starts to pick up. Anyways, I just want to say a few things before you all start reading. (Please take the time, I know it's a lot but it would mean a lot to me)

First and foremost, thank you so much for reading all the way up to this point. I know I am not a stellar writer, but I am learning and you guys are helping me in that process. To those of you who have been consistently reviewing for my stories, thank you so much. It means a ton.

Second, I apologize if this story seems rushed. I didn't want to get caught up in school and sports so I had to make sure I finished it now, just to be on the safe side. I don't hate the way it turned out, but I certainly wish I had more time to refine it.

Last of all, I want to announce that I am considering re-writing this story for several reasons. For starters, I did not develop these characters nearly as much as I should have. Part of that was my fault, but there were just too many characters that played significant roles in this story that it got really difficult to spend time delving deeper into their personalities and character. Another reason I want to re-write this is that there are some plot holes, although minor, that have been bothering me and I haven't had the chance to patch them up.

If I decide to go ahead and rewrite this, I will be starting at a later time period, and the characters will be older, simply because I'm tired of writing dialogue for 10-year-olds. It makes for less sophisticated writing and it affects the way the story plays out. However, I will only be rewriting this if that is something you all would like. So let me know in the reviews if that is something you're interested in.

And don't forget to also tell me what you thought of the story as a whole. It was an ambitious idea on my part, and although I didn't execute it very well, I thank you all for keeping up with me and supporting me all the way. Now, enjoy the ending!

Chapter 10: Parting Ways

The evening sky was slowly getting darker as the sun began to set over the horizon. This atmosphere emphasized the glow emitting from Charmeleon's body.

The ooh's and ahh's could be heard from everyone as Charmeleon's body began to grow, wings spreading from its back, its tail lengthening and its claws sharpening. "Charr!" Charizard roared, beating its wings powerfully, creating a gust of wind that blew everyone's hair back.

"Whoa! Charmeleon, you evolved!" Aaron shouted.

Immediately, Charizard decided that it wanted to test its newfound power. It quickly soared into the air and released a powerful Flamethrower attack towards Lyneth's Houndoom.

Houndoom managed to avoid getting directly hit, but was grazed by a few stray embers. It turned back to Charizard and snarled. Literally, it used the move Snarl, hitting Charizard for negligible damage. But the side effect was going to take its toll very soon.

Aaron adjusted his cap. "Ha! That did nothing! Charizard, use Flamethrower once more!" he commanded, and to his surprise, Charizard actually obeyed.

Houndoom was unable to dodge it this time and took the full brunt of the attack, staggering backward.

"Houndoom, use Dark Pulse!" Lyneth ordered, her confident smile starting to diminish.

Charizard leapt into the air and used its wings to hover, dodging the Dark Pulse attack. It roared loudly, breathing fire out of its nostrils, the flame on its tail burning brighter than the sun.

"Charizard, let's finish this with Scratch!" Aaron shouted.

Charizard surprised him yet again, only this time its claws temporarily grew longer and glowed a green color as it struck Houndoom directly. It had learned Dragon Claw.

Lyneth's Mega Houndoom fell to the ground on its side, knocked out. Charizard had won.

"Houndoom! Oh no!" Lyneth cried out, rushing to her Pokemon's side. _Please be okay,_ she prayed in her mind, almost in tears.

Aaron couldn't help but feel...guilty. Well, almost guilty. Lyneth had threatened the camp, and he had to do what had to be done. But seeing Lyneth on the brink of crying over her unconscious Pokemon made him wonder: is she really that evil?

Ash had just defeated three Admins and turned to see his son standing victoriously over the leader of Team Flare. He smiled. _He's going to be even greater than I was..._ he thought.

Lyneth looked up at Aaron. "I'll admit, sweetie...you're pretty strong," she said, standing up as she recalled Houndoom back into its Pokeball. "Your passion, and your heart...its truly something to be admired. You have my respect, that's for sure."

Aaron didn't know what to say. Just moments earlier, this girl was his mortal enemy. Why was he feeling so conflicted right now?

"I and the entirety of Team Flare will surrender and retreat. But that's not to say we won't return another time," she said with another wink. "Everyone, fall out! We're done here. Forget Xerneas," she said as she turned and strutted back to her submarine. Confused, the rest of Team Flare followed her, some of them mumbling and groaning as they walked.

"Aaron...that was amazing! You saved the camp!" Meredith exclaimed happily, giving him a big hug. Aaron embraced her in his arms. "You were pretty awesome, too," he said with a smile.

Ash recalled his exhausted Pokemon and patted his son on the back. "I'm impressed, Aaron. You've really got talent there, buddy," he said.

Serena and Mairin came out from the building and ran over to the scene. The beach was a wreck; the sand was nowhere near as smooth as it had been before the fight. Regardless, no one could have been happier than Alain Sycamore.

"Ash and Aaron Ketchum...I cannot thank you both enough. You two are both incredible trainers...I don't know what we would have done without you," Alain said. Then he turned to the campers. "To all you campers: thank you! You've all been so brave, and so heroic. You have proven that Camp Sycamore is strong, and I hope you all continue to be strong as you proceed on your respective journeys."

The crowd cheered as the rest of the campers from inside the building joined them. Everything seemed just great, until Aaron realized something.

"Hang on," he said. He looked around the crowd, and no where amongst it could he see either of his two missing friends.

– –

"You know, Phil, I'm glad I met you," Jason said as the two trainers sat by a small campfire they had made for the night.

Phillip nodded. "I'm glad I met you, too, Jason. I've never had so much fun in my life!" he said, petting Helioptile on the head.

Jason nodded back. "Same here! You've no idea how boring my life has been," he said, looking down and smiling at Wynaut.

"Well, it's a good thing we're here on a journey now. A journey with some real weight to it, I might add! We're on a quest to save a Legendary Pokemon, now won't _that_ be a story to tell!" Phillip said excitedly.

"Yeah, that's pretty awesome," Jason said with a smile. "I just kinda wish Aaron were here. And Meredith. And some of those other guys, too. They were good friends, and I feel bad just leaving them," he said.

Phillip shook his head. "Don't feel bad! Knowing Aaron and them, I'll bet they're looking for us right now. And soon, we'll cross paths again...and together, who knows what we'll encounter, or what sort of adventures we'll get to experience!"

– –

Aaron and Meredith waved good-bye to the rest of the campers as they made their way to the forest path. Professor Sycamore waved as well, with Mairin and Charizard on either side of him.

"Bye, sweetie! Have fun!" May shouted as she waved back at her daughter.

Dawn hugged her two twins lovingly. She was so proud of them she could've embraced them for hours.

"Alice. Damos. You two be safe out there, got it?" she said, that motherly tone of voice taking over again. The twins both rolled their eyes and responded as usual, "Yes, mom, we know."

Brock was due back at Saffron City for work, but instead of going back he decided to take a vacation through the Kalos region to go sightseeing. What he really wanted was just to relax for a while, and Kalos was the perfect place to do it. Maybe he'll score a date with a Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny, but who knows?

Misty was on her way back to Cerulean City to tend to the Gym. She was worried how it was holding up, considering how Daisy wasn't always on top of things all of the time. Alain thanked her for her help with the fishing, even though it had ended up being a disaster. Misty promised she would return next year when hopefully the ocean would be more cooperative.

Ash? Ash had to leave on short notice after receiving a mysterious phone call from a stranger. He had just told everyone that he had business to tend to, and they believed him. After all, no one was going to question the Kalos Champion. Aaron had been sad to see him go, but remembered that he himself was on his own journey and he needed to focus on his own dream.

– –

As Ash flew away on Charizard's back, he looked up into the stars in the sky. _Aaron...I am so proud of you. I know you're destined for greatness...go continue your adventure, and one day become even stronger than I am!_

Pikachu nuzzled Ash's head affectionately as the Champion of Kalos flew to a destination only he knew of.

– –

"Hey, Aaron?" Meredith asked.

"Yeah, what is it?" Aaron replied with a smile.

The two of them were walking together along the path underneath the stars.

"How...how do you know we'll find them? We don't even know where to look!" she said worriedly.

Aaron smiled and held her hand. "Don't worry. You and me, we can do anything! When our friends are in need, we'll be there to help, no matter what happens!" he said cheerfully.

Meredith smiled and blushed a little. "You're right, Aaron. Together."

Aaron nodded, adjusting his cap. "C'mon, let's hurry! Our journey's just getting started!" he said. He and Meredith ran off into the woods together, hand in hand.

The End


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